The APHS Look AHEAD- March 2023
Newsletter for APHS Students and Parents- v.42
The APHS Look AHEAD- March 2023
Dear APHS Students and Families,
February break is now well behind us, and despite the weather appearing not to agree, spring is on the way. Anyway that you look at it, the school year will go quite quickly from here!
The above said, I encourage students and parents to closely and frequently monitor academic progress in the months to come. We are at the point in the year, with Q3 Progress Reports being released later this week, where it can become increasing difficult to correct performance issues before it's too late. Please do not hesitate to watch gradebooks, email and call teachers, and stay connected so that we can all work together to make sure that each of our students finishes the year strong. Sometimes, it takes just one person noticing an issue, and stepping in, to start a student on a whole new, and better, path.
March is also a long month! The good news is that there are many wonderful things going on around the school community. "Music in our Schools Month" will bring us an amazing pair of instrumental, and vocal, concerts. Additionally, our class-level dances are on the horizon, with our annual Sophomore Soiree right around the corner. At the same time, our counselors are working with students to continue the course selection process for the 22-23 school year. Next year features a good number of program additions, as well as more electives for students to choose from. Be sure to connect with our school counselors if you have any questions, or need assistance!
Finally, with so much going on, it can never hurt to step back and take the time to try to be present in the moment. Taking things one thing at a time, and remembering that it will all get done, in the end, is important. Here is a calendar of daily activities you can do to stay mindful during this Mindful March: https://actionforhappiness.org/calendar#download-block-anchor
As always, I wish all of our students a productive, positive, and healthy March! If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to reach out!
Be well,
Serving every student every day,
Heath C. Quiles
Principal, Averill Park High School
The APHS Building Leadership Team
-Mr. Heath Quiles, High School Principal (quilesh@apcsd.org)
-Mrs. Christina Mein, Assistant Principal, Grades 10 and 12 (meinc@apcsd.org)
-Mrs. Rebecca Leach, Assistant Principal, Grades 9 and 11 (leachr@apcsd.org)
#AP_EveryStudentEveryDay
"Creating passionate learners who contribute positively to their community and the world."
Half Day of Instruction on March 17th
We are scheduled to have a half-day of instruction on March 17th. There will be no instruction in the afternoon so that faculty and staff may engage in a Superintendent's Conference Day.
Dismissal at APHS will be at 10:40 am, following the below linked bell schedule:
https://averillpark.k12.ny.us/images/Bell_Schedules_2022-2023_-_Half_Day_Schedule_Rotation_1.pdf
Board of Education approves 2023-2024 Calendar
The school calendar for the 2023-2024 school year is now available!
Please see the link below:
Course Selection for 2023-2024 Continues into March!
This will be an ongoing process between now and March 31, 2023. After that date, students and families will be given one week to complete a final review of their course selections, before they are locked in, and the master schedule is developed.
Here is a link to the APHS Course Catalog for 2023-2024:
https://averillpark.k12.ny.us/images/APHS/GuidetoProgramPlanning2023-2024.pdf
If you have any questions, please contact the Counseling Center at 518-674-7025.
June Regents Exam Schedule- JUNE 2023
While it seems like a long time from now, it will come quickly! Please see the below link with information related to the June Regents Exam schedule.
Please note that this year there will be NO INSTRUCTION on Thursday, June 1st so that we can administer the first iteration of the US History and Government (Framework) Regents Exam.
Again, here is a link to the detailed schedule of exams. More information will be forwarded as we get closer to June:
https://averillpark.k12.ny.us/news-archive-2022-2023/5957-aphs-june-2023-regents-exams-schedule
APHS Quarter 2 Honor Rolls
Congratulations to each of these students! You make APHS proud!
Find the full list here.
WARRIOR WEDNESDAY THEME FOR MARCH: SELF-AWARENESS
This competency is all about helping students get to know themselves and includes things such as their likes and dislikes, strengths and challenges, feelings and opinions, and how our mind influences our emotions, words and behaviors.
Additional information about how Averill Park will be addressing this theme and how you can support your child at home can be found here.
Community Forum - Hidden Dangers
This program is presented by the SHAC Center, Nopiates Committee, The Addictions Care Center, Northeastern Community Action Partnership and Rensselaer County.
https://averillpark.k12.ny.us/news-archive-2022-2023/5934-hidden-dangers-community-forum-on-march-15
Email: nopiatesevents@gmail.com to register for this event
Brooks BBQ - March 15
Brooks BBQ Chicken Dinner - Wednesday, March 15th 3-6pm. The Unique Opportunities Club is hosting a Brooks BBQ Chicken Dinner Fundraiser to meet its goal of providing affordable experiences and making them affordable for all students. The Brooks brothers are famous for their BBQ and you can take home dinner on Wednesday, March 15th for only $15 per dinner. Dinner includes: half a chicken, baked potato, coleslaw, and a dinner roll. Tickets are on sale now! You can order online at: https://www.familyid.com/programs/ap-pre-order-brooks-bbq-chicken-dinner-fundraiser-march-15 or contact Nicole Freeman: freemann@apcsd.org to purchase tickets by check or cash.
Attention Sophomores
Our Sophomore Soiree is coming up on March 18th, and tickets will be available for purchase the week of March 6th during lunch block. Prices will be $50 for each ticket.
For your $50, you will get an evening MC with DJ Ketchup, enough appetizers to fill you up, and a dessert buffet.
Tickets must be purchased by a Sophomore. Guests are allowed. The dance will be located at Franklin Terrace in Troy.
Upcoming Sophomore Class Fundraiser
The Sophomore Class will be having a Hoffman car wash fundraiser starting March 31 and going through April 14. We will be selling Hoffman car washes with half of the proceeds going to our class. Please consider supporting our fundraiser. The following link will open on March 31 http://www.hoffmanhelpinghands.com/fundraisers/2025
Thank you for supporting the class of 2025.
Senior Class presents Mr. AP - Saturday April 1
Mr. AP Tailgate - Saturday April 1 from 4-6pm - If you're planning to see the show at 6, or if you would just like to socialize with friends and community prior to the show come check out the Mr. AP Tailgate Party and support the senior class. We will have food trucks, a bake sale, cornhole, and other student planned activities to keep you entertained.
Senior Class presents Mr. AP - Saturday April 1 at 6:00pm - The Mr. AP Competition is a fun tradition at APHS dating back to 2004. The structure follows that of a beauty pageant, complete with activity wear, formal wear, and a talent section. The variety show is a mix of impressive talent and comedy performed by senior students.
APHS INFORMATION FOR REMOTE LEARNING, WINTER 2023
We have now used our last emergency snow day for the 22-23 school year! As a result, there will be the potential that we will need to shift to REMOTE INSTRUCTION, should the weather not allow us to attend school.
If we need to shift to REMOTE INSTRUCTION, we will run the following bell schedule, which is the same one we used in 2020:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hXP8tihE3BCb89tBxyHNUTPJ7NVE-PP62LFVVDRjTI0/edit?usp=sharing
Guidelines for students to follow for these days are as:
- Follow the remote daily bell schedule. While Advisory is part of the schedule, we will not run it. The day will begin at 9:00 am. Office Hours and Intervention are not necessary, but you may agree to use them with a specific teacher, should you like.
- Synchronous (live) instruction will happen for all classes, for some period of time, during each assigned block. Students are expected to remotely attend all classes with the link(s) provided by each teacher. Students do NOT need to attend study halls.
- Daily attendance will be taken in Block 1, and for each block/period, and students should be aware that it counts. Students will be considered present if they log in and attend all of each synchronous session for the duration of the session.
- If a student is unable to attend school, as is always the case, parents/guardians should contact the Attendance Office to report the absence at aphsattendance@apcsd.org
- If one of your teachers is absent on a REMOTE day, the teacher will provide you with asynchronous (not live) work to complete on the same day, via their Google Classroom.
If you have any questions, please contact your teacher, or the high school Main Office at 518-674-7002.
Senior Class Flower Bulb Fundraiser
Senior Class Flower Bulb Fundraiser - The senior class has started their online, Flower Bulb and seed fundraiser through Flower Power Fundraising. If you have a green thumb, or if you don't, please consider checking out this online fundraiser. It is very easy, you order online, and items are sent directly to you, then the senior class receives a check for 50% of the price of what you ordered! Of course there are flowers, but there are also herb gardens, strawberries, hot peppers, salad mixes, and even tomatoes. Check out the online catalog here: http://APHSSeniorClass.fpfundraising.com
Class of 2025 apparel available
The Class of 2025 now has a live site for ordering class apparel.
The site is open until Sunday, March 12. Please support our Sophomore Class and show your school spirit by purchasing a t-shirt, flannel pants or baseball cap.
Click on the link below for more information and ordering.
https://wickedsmartapparel.com/collections/averill-park-high-school
50 APHS STUDENTS HONORED IN CITIZENSHIP CELEBRATION
The high school honored 50 students at the Quarter 2 Citizenship Celebration.
Students chosen were identified by faculty as those who promote or embody what it means to be a positive contributor to our school community.
Congratulations to all our recipients!
Holocaust survivor shares story with APHS and AMS students
Holocaust survivor Marion Blumenthal Lazan shared her incredible story with students at Averill Park High School and Algonquin Middle School this morning, streaming into classrooms and the auditorium!
During World War II, Mrs. Lazan was trapped in Nazi Germany and spent six years of her childhood in refugee, transit, and prison camps. Her story is one of horrors and hardships, but also of courage and hope. Questions were submitted by high school and middle school students, and a group of students at APHS relayed them to Mrs. Lazan.
Mrs. Lazan is the author of the book "Four Perfect Pebbles: A Holocaust Story" which can be purchased on Amazon, as well as other book retailers.
Here is a link to Marion's website, for more information: https://www.fourperfectpebbles.com/
APHS Performs "Little Shop of Horrors"
Congratulations to everyone who performed and who worked behind the scenes! This is the beginning of a wonderful, new tradition
Stop-Arm Enforcement Cameras to Issue Tickets
The Averill Park Central School District and Bus Patrol have launched a school bus safety program in partnership with the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Department.
As part of this program, all District school buses will be equipped with stop-arm enforcement cameras that are designed to detect vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses that are actively loading or unloading students.
Bus Patrol is scheduled to install the new cameras from mid-February to mid-March with all buses in the fleet becoming operational by April 1, 2023. Please note that as the cameras are installed, they will become operational. As of Monday, January 30, five buses in the APCSD fleet have new cameras installed and are running. There will be a limited grace period for the first month where violators will be issued a warning. Once that period is over, violators will be issued citations in the mail each time they illegally pass a school bus that has its red lights flashing.
Students, parents and staff should practice caution while driving in parking lots at each of the schools in the District. Regardless of where a bus is loading or unloading students, if the red lights are flashing and you pass by the bus, you will be issued a ticket. Keep in mind that this is not just a District initiative. All school buses in Rensselaer County, and many throughout the country, are being equipped with stop-arm cameras.
According to NASDPTS, school buses are unlawfully passed more than 17 million times each year throughout the United States.
What happens if you illegally pass a stopped school bus equipped with stop-arm cameras?
Cameras on the side of the school bus will capture violations, including a photo of the vehicle’s license plate. Data is sent via an encrypted network to Bus Patrol. Trained reviewers will verify the incident and send an evidence package to law enforcement. Law enforcement then reviews the data, approves citations, and mails them to the violator. The driver will then make a payment online or by mail.
APHS Student Government raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation
Peer Tutoring at APHS
The APHS Chapter of National Honor Society is sponsoring two forms of peer tutoring which will be available for any high school student.
Drop-in tutoring sessions are available every Tuesday and Thursday after school in the library. NHS students will be available to tutor from 2:15 - 3:15. You do not need to sign up in advance, but make sure you are there before 2:30! Students looking for assistance should bring homework assignments, tests that need correcting, or notes if they need help studying.
If students need more consistent help in a particular subject, they may sign up on the linked google form for one-on-one tutoring in a specific subject area. Tutors are limited and will be filled based on availability and strength in subjects. It is expected that students will meet with their personal tutors once or twice a week depending on need and availability. Students who miss multiple tutoring sessions may have their tutor connection removed to be reassigned to another student in need of assistance.
Request for one-on-one tutoring: Peer Tutor Request Form
Late buses are available Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students needing a late bus must sign up for one and will need to sign up prior to 9 am on the day they plan to stay. Students can find the link to late buses on their Launch and on the website.
If you have any questions, please contact National Honor Society Advisor: Nicole Freeman at freemann@apcsd.org
APHS Yearbook
Order your APHS 2023 Yearbook Now!
Order online at: jostensyearbooks.com
We are still accepting Senior Parent Ads. All information and costs on:
Questions? baileya@apcsd.org
After School and Late Bus information
The late buses are now running!
Please remember that ALL students staying after school must sign up each day. To do so, you can click on the 'After School Sign Up' button on your Launch Pad or click on the yellow 'After School Sign Up' button that is located on the APHS webpage.
After school expectations:
- Students who are staying after school are expected to either be with a teacher or other staff member/advisor, or be signed up to stay in the library.
- After students are done working with a teacher or attending a club meeting, students are to report to the supervised location as follows:
- On TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS students will wait in the cafeteria until their ride and late bus arrive at 4:15 pm. We have supervision in the cafeteria until that time.
- On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays students will go to the library after working with teachers or attending clubs to wait until their ride gets here. Students should be picked up by 3:15 pm on M/W/F. We have supervision in the library until 3:15 pm on those days.
News from the Counseling Center
FROM THE COUNSELING CENTER:
Grades 9 &10
Course Requests for 2023-2024
Counselors presented to all 9th & 10th grade classes to go over course scheduling for the 23-24 academic year. Please make sure to discuss your child’s electives chosen with them. If they have any changes, please reach out to their school counselor. All course requests must be entered in School Tool by April 1st in order to create the master schedule for next year. If you have questions, please reach out to your student's individual counselor.
Grade 11
Counselors are meeting with Juniors during the month of March for their Senior course selection and annual review meetings. The counselors will be discussing courses for Senior year, Naviance, starting the college search process, and SAT/ ACT information. If parents have any questions, please feel free to reach out to their child’s counselor.
Attention Seniors: Seniors should continue to check Naviance to see what scholarships are available and apply for ones that are applicable to them.
College Planning:
The Counseling Center receives information regarding financial aid, invitations to events on campuses, scholarships, etc. This information can be found in the Counseling Center or on Naviance. Naviance is a College and Career software program available that the students have been introduced to and encouraged to use.
College Entrance Exams:
Please check the College Board website for any updates and cancellations concerning upcoming exams.
COLLEGE ENTRANCE TESTS:
ACT TEST DATES - REGISTRATION DEADLINES:
April 15, 2023 - - Registration Deadline: March 10, 2023
June 10, 2023 - - Registration Deadline: May 5, 2023
ACT ASSESSMENT and ACT ASSESSMENT PLUS WRITING:
(Choose either of two test options — the ACT Assessment or the ACT Assessment Plus Writing, which includes a 30-minute Writing Test. Not all colleges and universities require a Writing Test. Check with the colleges you are considering — or go to www.actstudent.org for a list of institutions that require or recommend the Writing Test.)
SAT I & II
TEST DATES - - REGISTRATION DEADLINE
March 11, 2023 - - Registration Deadline: February 11, 2023
May 6, 2023 - - Registration Deadline: April 7, 2023
June 3, 2023 - - Registration Deadline: May 5, 2023
Students with disabilities who wish to apply for accommodations on college placement testing should pick up an information sheet in the counseling center or refer to the website for the test they wish to take. Decisions regarding accommodations for College Board and ACT testing rest with the testing company.
PSAT Scores available
If you took the PSAT in Oct, your scores are available to view online. Just sign into your college board account and click on PSAT/NMSQT to see them.
Working Papers:
If you need your working papers, please print out the application at https://averillpark.k12.ny.us/working- papers or stop by the Counseling Center. Once all forms are completed and the physical form, AT-16, is signed by a medical professional, you will need to bring all originals, and a form of ID (ie. Birth certificate, NYS ID) to the Counseling Center for processing.
News from the Health Office
Grade-level physicals:
State law requires your child to have a physical examination because he or she either entered school within our District for the first time this year or they are in kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, or 11th grade. 8 NYCRR 136.3(b)(1). A physical exam is mandatory because the District must: (1) appropriately assess the student's current health status; (2) determine the student is free from contagious diseases and fit to participate in all aspects of school programming; (3) identify any need for the District to modify its programming in consideration of your child's health needs; and (4) secure any necessary health care supports within the school environment. Please send this paperwork either by email to millerv@apcsd.org or have it faxed to 518-674-7052. Communicate with Mrs. Miller that you are having papers faxed so that she can confirm when they are received.
Tylenol and Ibuprofen permission slips:
In order for your child to receive any Tylenol or Ibuprofen, written permission needs to be turned in EVERY year. If you have not done so please fill out the attached form
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v-M20kCWIhLHqrrpiKuWO-24DTOdcsGNZknE5LGF0MY/edit
and send it back into the nurse's office. Verbal permission is no longer accepted for permission.
Seasonal Influenza (Flu) Information
Influenza, or the 'flu', is a severe respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even death. To protect your child from getting the flu, the NYS Department of Health says:
- Get the seasonal flu vaccine for yourself.
- Encourage your child's close contacts to get a seasonal flu vaccine, too. This is very important if your child is younger than 5 or if he or she has a chronic health problem such as asthma (breathing disease) or diabetes (high blood sugar levels). Children under 6 months can't be vaccinated and so need to rely on those around them being vaccinated.
- Wash your hands often and cover your coughs and sneezes. It's best to use a tissue and quickly throw it away. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. This will prevent the spread of germs.
- Tell your children to:
- Stay away from people who are sick;
- Clean their hands often;
- Keep their hands away from their face, and
- Cover coughs and sneezes to protect others.
IMPORTANT LINKS TO CALENDARS AND SCHEDULES FOR 2022-2023
The APCSD District Calendar for 22-23:
https://www.averillpark.k12.ny.us/images/2022-2023_District_Calendar.pdf
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hYmkNpCz8VeXZLC7xfrcwugS1jyDgo3h/view?usp=sharing
This is a fixed schedule, and will not change based on snow days.
Our Daily Bell Schedule for 22-23:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lcPp84ngqBMdb_zIdS__uFIYRBn0XRQbKettmfZ2tgk/edit?usp=sharing
Please note that this includes schedules for one- and two-hour delays, as well as half days.
Marking Periods/Grade Reporting at the HS for the 22-23 School Year:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xgsWJUMocNNgA3PROdA-ZRPPWw9Yl_2BX8Cl-t9F25s/edit?usp=sharing
The HS Lunch Schedule for 22-23 will be sent to all students and families as we get closer to opening!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MYU8Pt28QuFZm7FejZklyNaLr7q_842Y/view?usp=sharing
Attendance, On-Time Arrivals, and Reporting Absences
Regular attendance in school is a precursor to academic success, and being on time, and present in instruction, is a life skill that reflects a high level of responsibility, organization, and college/workplace readiness.
Anytime that your child is absent from school, it is important that you report this absence to the HS Attendance Office, on the same day, at 518-674-7024. Conversely, you may report absences via our dedicated attendance email address:
Each morning, the school day begins promptly at 7:30 am. Students should plan to be in their first block classroom, and ready to learn, at that time.
Students who arrive to school after 7:30 am will be considered tardy to school, and will need to receive a pass from the Attendance Office prior to reporting to their first block class.
Students who arrive to school late without a written excuse from a parent/guardian in hand will be assigned a detention during their Advisory period for the same day.
Updated Eligibility Guidelines for the 2022-2023 School Year
At Averill Park High School, student participation in extracurricular activities is a privilege. Students earn these privileges through maintaining good standing in their attendance, behavior, and academic performance.
Ineligibility is defined as restriction from participation in extracurricular activities and events for a 5-week period. The following criteria are used to determine that a student is ineligible:
Attendance:
Students who have acquired 5 or more unexcused absences to school within any five week marking period are not eligible to participate in extracurricular activities for the following five weeks.
Behavior:
Students who have been involved in any disciplinary infraction which results in an ESD, ISS, Out-of-School Suspension, or who have 3 or more referrals within a five week marking period, are not eligible to participate in extracurricular activities for the following five weeks.
Achievement:
Students who are failing 2 or more classes during any five week marking period are not eligible to participate in extracurricular activities for the following five weeks.
All students who are ineligible, except those who have received an Out-of-School Suspension, will be offered the opportunity to earn back eligibility through a variety of means, including but not limited to:
Students who have acquired 5 or more unexcused absences from school in a five week marking period will be referred to a restorative attendance circle. If a student actively participates in, and regularly attends, scheduled circle meetings, the student may earn back eligibility.
Students who are ineligible as a result of discipline referral(s) may request to work with their assigned Assistant Principal to develop a community service plan. At the completion of the plan, the student may earn back eligibility. Students who have received an Out-of School Suspension will not be offered this opportunity.
Students who are ineligible as a result of failing 2 or more classes may work with their teachers/counselor to develop and implement an Academic Recovery Plan. Upon successful completion of the plan, the student will provide their assigned Assistant Principal with documentation from their teacher(s) that he/she is passing their class prior to the date of the scheduled event. At that time, the student may earn back eligibility.
APHS Building-Wide Norms 22-23
With our day-to-day school life finally returning to a more normal routine, we will be working this year to rebuild the common, building-wide expectations for how we conduct ourselves, and treat others, while engaging as a member of the APHS school community.
We have developed guiding norms for all students at APHS. Please take a few minutes to take a look, as these are the basis of our collective expectations for students at the high school. We will go back to these often throughout the upcoming year:
Hallway Norms:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y-pKKvtfvH0LZz5-viMNei2rTV-vfQ05/view?usp=sharing
Bathroom Norms:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1muMNet_0jPMtQWn-VHHp11w7wiRywa2N/view?usp=sharing
Classroom Norms:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y-pNRXBs0nqzR-quwCs_u9gLNPYg2lzH/view?usp=sharing
Cafeteria/Lunch Norms:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s7neyDaiuhpe-FErk7zQj-8loPrT45Gp/view?usp=sharing
Courtyard Norms:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M-MB1yOn8bl_7C-XU9XpTn34orYb1ugV/view?usp=sharing
Norms for Digital Citizenship:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dqB2t1_FrQA3Wp7iDN2DYyLBR79GGZ5T/view?usp=sharing
Diversity and Equity Norms:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qp8awk2_bsHZOQLWdAr0c44NjSSc_hkr/view?usp=sharing
Alcohol and Drug Free Norms:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1blKPY643qw4zIptZUKmU2ttYH5Yo42IG/view?usp=sharing
Senior Courtyard/Atrium Norms:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PzOa7LOqIiVQKk2zEK5HEokP0kPbLZAf/view?usp=sharing
Upcoming Events/Important Dates
March 2023
March 3 - Quarter 3 Progress grades posted
March 8 - Instrumental Concert, 6:30pm
March 17 - Superintendent Conference Day - 1/2 Day K-12
March 18 - Sophomore Soiree, 6:30pm
March 21 - Choral Concert, 6:30pm
Averill Park High School
Email: quilesh@apcsd.org
Website: https://www.averillpark.k12.ny.us/
Location: 146 Gettle Road, Averill Park, NY, USA
Phone: 518-674-7000
Twitter: @APHS_Leaders