ARHS Community Happenings!

The second marking period ends next Monday, and midterm exams will take place next week between Tuesday, Jan. 14, and Friday, Jan. 117. Please encourage your kids to study carefully this weekend, and to make good use of any study materials their teachers provided for them. And if you have a Senior who has been exempted from exams due to high grades, remember to congratulate them for their high performance throughout the semester!

The midterm exam schedule and guidelines were provided in last week’s Community Happenings newsletter and can be accessed in the website archive directly under this week’s newsletter. It includes the order and schedule of all the exams as well as information on when students do/do not need to attend exams, lunch service during exams, senior exemptions, and how the schedule will be impacted if there are any weather delays or cancellations during exams.

Parent drop-off and pick-up on exam days can be a challenge, so we are asking all parents who are dropping off students at the start of the day or picking up students after the second exam to enter school through the North Pease Road entrance and pick their children up at the morning drop-off location, not in front of the main entrance or in the faculty parking lot. This will allow our buses to safely load students and depart without interfering with parental traffic. Any parents picking a student up after 12:30 will be able to get them at the main entrance again, since buses will have already departed for the day. Thank you all for your understanding and flexibility with this, and good luck to your kids as they prepare for midterms.

In other Amity student news:

• Parents of 9th and 10th grade students who met the state goal on their 8th grade SBAC or NGSS state assessments will be receiving a “rigorous coursework” letter from the state Department of Education in the next few days. 500 of our students met this goal and will be receiving letters, which encourage parents to reach out to their child’s counselors to ensure that their course selections for next year will place them in challenging classes. If you are a parent who receives one of these letters, congratulations on your child’s success! Please also keep in mind that all our courses are designed to be appropriately rigorous and provide students with a strong foundation for success, regardless of the level. Our teachers will be making course recommendations in the coming weeks, and they are the best resources for course recommendations. School counselors will also be conducting academic advising meetings with all students, so feel free to reach out to either of them with questions about level recommendations.
  
  
• Congratulations to Amity senior Zhiyan Jessie Zhang, who has been selected as one of only 100 students nationwide to participate in the Disney Dreamers Academy at Disney World this spring. This prestigious program recognizes students with exceptional intellectual curiosity, compassion, courage, optimism, and a positive outlook, and we are proud of Jessie for being selected to such a prestigious program!
  
  
• Congratulations to the seven students who recently won awards in the 2025 Scholastic Arts Awards Competition. Our award winners are Riley Cohutt, Augustus Khan (2 awards), Emily Sun, Carina Chock, Molly Emmens, Lucy Jiang, and Natalia Pepe (2 awards). Congratulations to all of them!
  
  

Go Spartans!

Andre Hauser

Principal

• January 13, 2025 - Board of Education Meeting - More Info
  
  
• January 14 - 17, 2025 - Midterm Exams - More Info
  
  
• January 15, 2025 - UELP Parent Information Night - More Info
  
  
• January 16, 2025 - PTSO Meeting - More Info
  
  
• January 17, 2025 - End of Semester 1
  
  
• January 20, 2025 - Martin Luther King Day, No School
  
  
• January 30, 2025 - 8th Grade Parent Information Night - More Info

This is the last call to purchase a grad ad to celebrate your senior in this year's edition of Embers, Amity's yearbook. The deadline is TODAY - Friday, 1/10.

We have several size options for your special message and photo(s). Grad ads will not be processed until full payment is received. To design your own grad ad and pay electronically, visit the Jostens website

If you need help designing your grad ad, please complete this Google form and send a check made out to Amity High School to Embers Yearbook, Amity High School, 25 Newton Road, Woodbridge, CT 06525. Any questions, please e-mail embers@amityregion5.org.

The Young Leadership Launch presented by Yale Women in Management are offering workshops for high school girls from the New Haven area for an interactive and uplifting day of keynote speakers. These workshops are designed to help you explore career paths and meet Yale graduate students from various industries.

Higher Heights Youth Empowerment Program along with uAspire are teaming up to offer a virtual event called "FAFSA Walkthrough." This event will walk students and families through the entire FAFSA process from start to finish, outlining what information is necessary, detailing common pain points, and discussing how to answer questions. The goal is to make sure every family has the tools, opportunities, and support to thrive in higher education.

Join Yale Physicians of various specialties for fun and interactive case seminars! Each seminar will begin with symptoms of a real medical case where students and Yale physicians will work together to diagnose and participate in a hands-on activity highlighting that particular field. Students will learn directly from Yale physicians as they describe their unique journeys to medicine. Seminars will take place on Saturdays from 10AM-12PM on 1/25, 2/22, 3/29, 4/26, and 5/10. This program is open to all local students in grades 9-12. Apply by Jan. 6th by 9am.

For those seniors who would like to reach their 100-hour goal by graduation, please keep in mind all community service forms must be handed in and posted on PowerSchool by April 1, 2025.

The Career Center posts both local and national scholarships throughout the months of November - April. Students can navigate through these scholarships in Schoolinks under the Finance tab and on our school website. Additional merit-based and need-based scholarships are available through websites like fastweb.com, scholarships.com or here. If you have any questions regarding scholarships, please stop by to chat with Mrs. Vallie in the Career Center.

• Happy New Year!!
  
  
• Please join us next Thursday, Jan 16th at 7:00PM for our first PTSO meeting of 2025. We are excited that Liz Martland, Amity's Website Manager will be joining us to show us all the improvements to Amity's website. It has so much information now!! We will also be offering a zoom option this month for those who are unable to attend in person. We hope you can join us!! The Zoom link will go out next week.
  
  
• Thank you to those who have joined the PTSO. It is not too late to join.
  https://www.amityregion5.org/arhs/ptso. Once you sign up to become a member, you will receive a membership directory via email.
  
  

• If you ever have any PTSO questions, please reach out to us at amityptso@gmail.com
  
  

• Please support our RaiseRight fundraiser! Gift cards can be used for daily purchases or as gifts for family and friends. It is simple, all you need to do is purchase a physical or eGift card(s) to your favorite store(s) through the RaiseRight website or app and a certain % of each gift card purchase goes directly to Amity PTSO. Once you purchase a gift card(s) they will either be mailed (via UPS for a small charge) or emailed.

  
  

  If you joined RaiseRight last year, all you need to do is login with your user id and password and start ordering gift cards. However, if you are new to this fundraiser, please click here to get started.

  
  

• Thank you in advance for supporting the PTSO! Last year, the PTSO was able to give an additional $1000 towards scholarships for graduating seniors and we hope to be able to do the same again this year. Please reach out to us with any questions.

• JOIN! Catch the Spartans Spirit! Membership is open for all…families, coaches/faculty/staff and grandparents. Your membership donation benefits all of our athletic programs.
  
  

• SHOP! Visit the Athletics Booster Gear Store for customizable Amity apparel and gear.
  
  

• LIAISONS! Looking for parents or athletes from each team to send us occasional updates on your team’s accomplishments and fundraisers. We want to recognize and promote our Amity student athletes and coaches for their wonderful attitudes and play. Please contact Carrie at goamityspartans@gmail.com with any questions.
  
  

• Facebook! Stay up to date and in the loop - View Facebook

Please scan the QR Code or Click the image for more details.

The Orange Chamber of Commerce invites all Amity community members to a FREE, Family-friendly Health and Fitness Expo on Saturday, January 11th from 10 am – 1 pm at the Courtyard by Marriott.

Free Yoga Classes for Teens brought to you by Orange Youth Services,
Please scan the QR Code or Click the images for more details.

Call 203-389-3429 or email npfund@woodbridgect.org for info or to sign up for programs.

• Job Bank Seeks Woodbridge and Bethany Teens Who Want Paid Work
  The Job Bank guides teens ages 13-18 as they apply, interview, and earn money doing odd jobs for Woodbridge residents. Jobs include leaf raking, yard work, snow shoveling, babysitting, housework, animal care, tutoring and tech assistance. Woodbridge residents may call 203-389-3429 to hire a student
  
  

• Per Diem Staff Needed for Youth Services After-School or Evening Programs -

  Adults with at least 2 years of college and experience working with youth may call 203-389-3464 to inquire.