Averill Park HS
June 2017 Newsletter
A Message from the APHS Leadership Team
There are just seven instructional days left in the school year, and the Class of 2017 will walk across the stage later this month, culminating twelve years of preparation towards their futures. As we reflect on this school year, much appreciation is extended to the entire APHS community for the support given to all of our students. With your support, our students flourish academically, socially, and emotionally, and they are well-prepared for the continued journey of life. We feel proud to be a part of this, and are confident that our students will embark on their futures with strong values and knowledge as a result of your guidance and commitment.
In addition to saying goodbye to our graduates, we are preparing our underclassmen for the transition to the next grade level. The month of June can often be a stressful for our younger students, as they are preparing for NYS Regents exams and working hard to earn their credits for the next grade level. We ask parents and guardians to be diligent in monitoring academic progress and study habits, in addition to supporting children with coping strategies for stress. If you feel that your child needs support, please contact your child's school counselor.
We still have several Senior events for students which are held off campus in various locations. It is a privilege to attend these events, and students are expected to adhere to the Code of Conduct in order to participate in this privilege.
The safety and well-being of our students is always our highest priority. Therefore we wanted to make you aware of the following precautions that will be taking place for the Senior Picnic and the Senior Dinner Dance.
All school rules regarding tobacco, alcohol, prescription and illegal drugs (and paraphernalia) are in effect for these events.
Students will be subject to search for above mentioned items.
Alcohol sensors will be be used to screen students prior to entering and throughout the event.
Additionally, students are prohibited from carrying any medications, with the exception of epi-pens and emergency inhalers. For students who have received permission to be given specific medication with advanced notice, Mrs. Miller will have them available. This must be prearranged by the families at least two days prior to the date of the event. This applies not only to prescription medications, but also to common over-the-counter medicines (such as Advil or Tylenol). Please plan ahead, and make arrangements with Mrs. Miller if your child will require medication during the social events.
Our goal is to assure that these events are safe for our students and any cooperation you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Finally, please see the list of upcoming events for the month of June:
- June 2: Senior Arts Gala - 6:00-8:00 PM (Awards in Auditorium at 7:00 PM)
- June 8: Senior Awards Night - 6:30 PM @ Auditorium
- June 12: Senior Picnic - During school day @ Grafton State Park
- June 13-16 and 19-21: Class of 2018 - Senior Photos Sign-Up - in Rm 205
- June 13-20: NYS Regents Exams (see schedule below)
- June 20: Graduation Rehearsal * REQUIRED * - 12:00 PM - meet @ Cafeteria
- June 22: Senior Dinner Dance - 6:00-10:00 PM @ Birch Hill (Castleton)
- June 24: GRADUATION - 2:30 PM (Seniors to arrive by 1:45) at the Convention Center, Albany
- June 29: Final 2016-17 Grade Reports available to view in SchoolTool and WebEDGE
- June 29: Summer Program & August Regents registration - 6:00-7:30 PM - HS Library (mandatory Summer Program orientation at 6 PM)
We look forward to a positive end to the school year, and if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
Sincerely,
Ms. Michelle Tsao, Principal
Mr. Brian Bishop, Assistant Principal (Grades 9 and 11)
Mrs. Christina Mein, Assistant Principal (Grades 10 and 12)
Other News and Notes
Senior Arts Gala and Awards Night - June 2
The Averill Park High School Arts Faculty would like to announce this year’s Senior Arts Gala and Awards night on Friday, June 2nd at 6 p.m. Since our first Senior Arts Gala in 2007, this event has been a great success.
The annual Arts Gala will begin at 6 PM with the opening of the Senior Art Exhibition featuring the best works by APHS visual artists. From 7 PM until 8 PM the celebration will move into the auditorium for an awards ceremony and performances by many of our talented theater and music students. We hope to see you there!
June 2017 NYS Regents and Local Examination Schedule
Please see the link for the June 2017 examination schedule, including both Local and Regents examinations. goo.gl/S62Th0
Exams begin on Tuesday, June 13.
Students are required to stay in their exam locations for a minimum of 2 hours from the start of the exam. The earliest possible release time for morning exams is 10 AM and for afternoon exams is 2 PM.
The cafeteria will not be serving breakfast or lunch during the Regents Exams.
The transportation schedule for Regents days can be viewed here: https://goo.gl/Wde0cW
APHS Summer Blended Learning Program and August Regents Examinations
Students planning to enroll in our Summer Blended Learning Program are required to attend a mandatory orientation in the HS Library starting promptly at 6:00 PM on June 29.
Counselors will contact families immediately at the end of the school year to advise your child regarding registration for our summer program and/or August Regents Exams. Students must meet a minimum grade requirement (overall average of 50 or above) in order to be registered for a summer course. Students may enroll in a maximum of 2 courses, at a fee.
Students do not need to be enrolled in a summer course in order to register to re-take a Regents Exam. Some students take exams again to gain a passing score, while other students will re-take an exam to increase their scores in order to meet course prerequisites or to enhance their transcripts. There is no fee to take a Regents exam.
Registration will take place on Thursday, June 29 from 6:00-7:30 PM in the HS Library.
Links for Summer Assignments
https://averillpark.k12.ny.us/resources-aphs/summer-assignments
Please check the above link throughout the summer to ensure you are prepared for the next school year. Summer assignments will be updated throughout the month of June, so if you don't see your course, check back frequently.
Energy and Power - 14th Annual Tractor Race
From the Health Office
If your child takes medications at school, this includes daily medications and inhalers and epi-pens, please pick up no later then 12 pm on June 23rd. Any medications that are not picked up by that time will be disposed of.
Incoming 10th grades will need an updated physical on file in the Health Office. If you get your physical done during the summer, please send a copy of it to the health office via mail, fax 674-7052, scan a copy and send it to millerv@apcsd.org
Parents of all incoming seniors please review the new immunization guidelines attached: https://goo.gl/t4waBQ
All fall athletes and parents please read attachment for paperwork collection over the summer: https://goo.gl/8zzsTW
From the Counseling Center
Post High-School Plans
All seniors should have filled out a form informing the Counseling Center of their post graduate plans. If you have not yet filled this form out, stop in the Counseling Center to see Mrs. Dobert. This information is needed for your final transcripts to be mailed.
Summer Hours
High school counselors will be available the week of June 26-June 29th. Beginning July 5th there will be a counselor available to assist you every Wednesday, 8am-12pm, throughout the summer.
A Counseling Center secretary will be available Monday-Thursday from 8 am- 12 pm
beginning June 26th.
Working Papers
If you will need working papers for a summer job, please come into the Counseling Center before school gets out to pick up the application for working papers. There is a physical form that must be completed by your family doctor, or the school nurse if there is a current one on file. Your physical must have been within the last twelve months.
*Don’t forget to check the Job Board in the Counseling Center for possible employment opportunities in the area.
Scholarship Opportunities
The Counseling Center receives notifications of scholarships being offered to high school students on a continuous basis. Remember to check Naviance or stop in and check the scholarship binder for information about each scholarship offered.
Hudson Valley Community College
Instant Admission days are being held at the Guenther Enrollment Center Wednesday, June 14, 2017 and again on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 from 8:00am until 6:00 pm.
National Honor Society - Interest Meeting
All interested juniors!
There will be an informational meeting for National Honor Society on Wednesday June 7th and Friday June 9th at 2:15 in the auditorium
Everyone who would like a chance to be inducted into National Honor Society needs to be at one of these meetings.
National Honor Society is for seniors who have a cumulative average of 90 or above and maintain that for their senior year. Community service, character and leadership qualities are also important characteristics for this honorary designation! See you at the meeting!
Mrs. Rees
Class of 2018 Photos
Seniors of 2018: Senior photos will be taken on June 13 - 16 and June 19 - 21 in the auditorium.
Sign-ups are in Room 205.
The sitting cost is $5 and must be paid to the photographer when photos are taken. Prestige Portraits provides the tux, shirt & bowtie / drape.
The two re-take days are July 31 and August 1.
Questions? baileya@apcsd.org
Thank you to APHS Community for the Staff Breakfast
Pre-Prom Assembly Summary
The AP High School Pre-Prom Assembly- Sponsored by The Averill Park Education Foundation
On May 17th, three days before Junior Prom, Averill Park High School was lucky enough to be able to host guest speaker, Jonathan Mueller. The Averill Park Education Foundation sponsored the event in the hopes that our students would be able to hear a powerful message about the devastating effects of drunk driving. Jonathan speaks around NYS, sharing his story about surviving a crash, in which he was hit head on by a drunk driver. Jonathan suffered both a traumatic brain injury and numerous physical impairments as a result of the crash. The presentation included an in depth film covering Jonathan’s life pre and post-accident, as well as an inspiring and insightful speech given by Jonathan himself. The junior class was then able to ask Jonathan questions about his life and how to remain safe behind the wheel. The students were actively engaged and truly enjoyed talking to Jonathan about this topic! Members of APHS SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) were thrilled that the Averill Park Administration and the Education Foundation were willing and able to provide this opportunity to students.
Students commented on the presentation saying:
“I can’t believe all that this man has gone through and that he still puts all of his energy into talking to young people”
“We were all talking about the presentation afterwards. A kid I was worried about actually said that Jonathan’s speech has made him want to make changes in his life”.
“We all really liked how Jonathan interacted with us and answered all of our questions openly”
APHS Students Participate in Sean's Run
Our Averill Park Middle and High School Students take part in the 16th Annual Sean’s Run Battle of the Belts Competition:
On April 30th 2017, Averill Park students from Algonquin Middle School and Averill Park High School, were able to take part in the 16th Annual Sean’s Run events. Four students from each building took part in the much anticipated, Battle of the Belts competition. These students trained hard for the event and prepared for it by creating unique t-shirts and catchy team names. In the middle school division, our very own Buckle Up Boys were awarded World Champions- Runner Up for having the second leading time in the competition. The Buckle Up Boys included students: Sam Bonesteel, Dylan Sutton, Greg Effman, and Tyler Michaels. In the high school division, the students were awarded Best Team Name for the catchy, Snap it Up to Live it Up. The high school participants were Jordan Kennedy, Nancy Mainville, Aerianna Kristel, and Jasmine Chamberlain. Both schools were awarded generous grants from the Sean’s Run Committee for their participation in the battles. This will enable the clubs to take important field trips to Youth Summit, Sean’s Run, and other important events that raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking and drug use, as well as provide funds to apply interventions and healthy alternatives to use in our community. Grants like this one have also allowed the clubs to provide guest speakers to come to the district and share their stories on the risks for substance abuse.