Owls Nest Newsletter

Hello Owl Families!

I am delighted to welcome each of you to a new month filled with excitement and community spirit at our beloved school!

Our recent events have illuminated the strength and unity within our AFHS family. The AFHS Staff vs. Police and Fire basketball game not only brought fun and friendly competition but also raised an impressive $1,600 for Special Olympics. Your unwavering support underscores the generosity and compassion that defines our community.

Additionally, the success of Hoopcoming week, orchestrated by our hardworking student council, further demonstrated the vibrant spirit within our school. From the lively dress-up days to engaging lunchtime activities, culminating in a cozy Hot Cocoa and Movie Night, our students showcased creativity, enthusiasm, and a true sense of togetherness.

In the spirit of fostering connections and making a positive impact, we're thrilled to announce the launch of a meaningful partnership with Eliseo C. Felix Elementary School! Twenty-five of our dedicated students recently engaged in a day of mentoring with 3rd through 5th-grade students, marking the beginning of a transformative initiative. Going forward, our AFHS students will reconnect with their mentees every five weeks, providing ongoing support and encouragement with a focus on academic success.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of Future Freshmen Night, where we warmly welcomed the incoming Class of 2028. Despite the rain, the event was a resounding success, with a fantastic turnout and a vibrant assembly featuring performances by JRTOC, Pom, Cheer, and the band.

As we navigate the upcoming weeks, let's carry the positive energy forward, fostering an environment where learning, collaboration, and community engagement flourish. Thank you for being an essential part of the AFHS family, and I look forward to the continued growth and success we will achieve together.

Warm regards,

Principal Daniels

Despite the rain, Future Freshmen Night was a resounding success as we warmly welcomed the incoming Class of 2028 to our AFHS family. The turnout was fantastic, showcasing the enthusiasm and excitement of our future Owls.

The evening kicked off with a vibrant assembly featuring performances by JRTOC, Pom, Cheer, and the band. Our administration, counselors, and college and career specialist also shared valuable information to ensure a smooth transition for our new Owls.

Following the assembly, families were invited into our old gym and cafeteria, where they had the opportunity to explore and gather information from various clubs, sports teams, and community services. It was a wonderful opportunity for our incoming freshmen and their families to connect with the rich tapestry of opportunities that await them at AFHS.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making Future Freshmen Night a memorable and informative experience. We look forward to nurturing the potential and talents of the Class of 2028 as they embark on this exciting journey with us!

Last week marked another unforgettable chapter in our annual tradition – the AFHS Staff vs. Police and Fire basketball game. This spirited event, filled with camaraderie and friendly competition, took on an even greater purpose this year as it served as a charity game to raise funds for Special Olympics.

We are thrilled to announce that our students demonstrated incredible generosity and support, collectively raising over $1,600 prior to the game! This remarkable amount was proudly presented to Special Olympics, contributing to the advancement of their impactful local programs.

Thank you to everyone who participated, cheered from the sidelines, and generously contributed to this wonderful cause. Your enthusiasm and commitment make a significant difference in our community, showcasing the positive impact we can achieve when we come together for a common goal.

We're thrilled to announce the launch of a meaningful partnership with Eliseo C. Felix Elementary School! In a fantastic initiative, twenty-five of our dedicated students recently engaged in a day of mentoring with 3rd through 5th-grade students at the elementary school.

This is just the beginning! Going forward, every five weeks, our AFHS students will reconnect with their mentees to provide ongoing support and encouragement. The primary focus is to motivate these young minds to excel in their classes and perform well on tests.

We're excited about the positive impact this collaboration will have on both sets of students, fostering a sense of community, mentorship, and academic success. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to strengthen these valuable connections!

Last week, the spirit of unity and fun took center stage as we joyously celebrated Hoopcoming week! A huge shoutout to our dedicated student council, whose hard work brought a burst of excitement to our school community through a fantastic lineup of events.

From creative dress-up days that showcased our students' enthusiasm and creativity to engaging lunchtime activities that added a touch of energy to our days, Hoopcoming week was a blast! The festivities reached their peak with a cozy Hot Cocoa and Movie Night, providing the perfect opportunity for everyone to unwind and enjoy some quality time together.

A heartfelt thank you to our student council for their commitment to creating memorable experiences for our school community. Your efforts truly make our school a vibrant and spirited place to be. Let's continue to build on this positive energy and look forward to more exciting events in the future!

Embark on an exploration of youth mental well-being by Touchstone Services, and a therapeutic Paint Night on February 13th, from 5:00 to 7:30 PM, where creativity becomes a canvas for self-expression and reflection. Spaces are limited so make sure to include total persons attending. Register Here.

Join us for the FIRST EVER HOOT N HUSTLE 5K! AFHS is partnering with the Avondale Parks and Rec to put on a 5k walk/run through Avondale's oldest educational institution and down historic Western Ave to check out our local businesses. End the race with spectators and participants on the AFHS Game Field for a Block Party!

HOO is ready to run? Early bird registration is open for The Hoot 'n' Hustle 5K, with youth rates starting at $25 and adult rates at $35.

Registrants will receive a commemorative race bib, medal, and t-shirt.

We invite AFHS Sports Teams, Clubs, and all community members to join us for the party!

Go to bit.ly/AFHSHUSTLE to register!

RTI

Our RTI system is currently down but we are still providing intervention time on a rotating schedule, which is included below. We are hoping the system will be up and running by February 20th. When it is up and running we will notify all students so that they can begin choosing their sessions again.

*Late Start and Early Release Students will report to the Cafeteria during those hours.

Senior Information: Class of 2024 just a reminder of some important info and dates. Please check these out and if you have any questions, please reach out to Assistant Principal, Kristen Tiffany ktiffany@aguafria.org

Cap and Gown purchases are made through Jostens at jostens.com. Please buy your cap and gown no later than February for a March delivery on campus.

Graduation is Saturday May 18 at 4:30pm at State Farm Stadium. More details regarding arrival time, parking and dress code coming soon.

Some additional important dates include:

February 13-Senior Class Meeting during Advisory

February 29-Deadline to submit to speak at graduation

May 2-Senior Social (mandatory event)

May 7-Senior Honor and Awards Night

May 16-Graduation practice (mandatory event)

May 18-Graduation

Reminder to parents - there is no morning drop-off in the J Bus Loop off Dysart. This loop is for bus drop off only. All parent drop off should occur in the B Loop off Riley Dr. Please reach out to jjovanelly@aguafria.org if your child has special circumstances. Thank you!

All absences except for medically excused count towards the 10 your student is allowed per semester. With the new semester, the students started with a clean slate. At 5 unexcused absences your student will be placed on an attendance plan and you will be contacted to discuss that. Email reminders will be sent home if your student reaches 6 absences, 8 absences and 10 absences. After 10 absences your child risks losing credit for classes due to attendance. If you have any questions regarding attendance please do not hesitate to reach out to the school.

Through a grant, Varsity Tutors is available to all Agua Fria students until May 2025. Students can access this through their clever account.

They offer the following:

• On-Demand Chat
• On-Demand Essay Review
• ACT, PSAT, SAT Prep
• Live Enrichment Classes

Reminder - The 2024 HSF Scholar Program Application is now open and closes on February 15, 2024, 5:00 PM PT. We encourage you to share this opportunity with students in your network.

• Every year, HSF selects 10,000 outstanding students as HSF Scholars from a broad and talented pool of applicants
• HSF Scholars have access to a full range of invaluable Scholar Support Services, including career services, mentorship, leadership development, knowledge building, and wellness training
• Career services include access to select internship and job opportunities with HSF corporate partners
• HSF Scholars are eligible to apply for all Scholar Conferences including, the STEM Summit, Finance Conference, Media & Entertainment Summit, Entrepreneurship Summit, and Healthcare Summit
• Exclusive access to the HSF Insider which shares invaluable information and career opportunities
• Finally, and importantly, HSF awards more than $30 million in Scholarships annually and, depending upon available funds, HSF Scholars may also be eligible to receive a scholarship, which range from $500-$5,000 and are awarded directly to students

Deadline: February 15, 2024, 5:00 PM PT

Apply Now!

Eligibility:

• Must be of Hispanic heritage
• U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or DACA
• Minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for high school students; minimum of 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for college and graduate students
• Plan to enroll full-time in an accredited, public or not-for-profit, four-year university, or graduate school, in the U.S., for the 2024-2025 academic year
• Submit the FAFSA or state-based financial aid forms (if applicable)

About HSF:
HSF empowers families with the knowledge and resources to successfully complete a higher education, while providing scholarships and support services to as many exceptional students as possible.

Founded in 1975, HSF has awarded over $730 million in scholarships. HSF Scholars have access to valuable Scholar Support Services and, as funding permits, scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000.

Additional Important Information:

• It takes an average of 30 minutes for students to complete Phase I of the 2024 HSF Scholar Program Application
• No essays, recommendations, or document uploads are required in Phase I
• To get started, visit HSF.net and log into or create your myHSF profile to access the HSF Scholar Program Application

HSF Scholar Application Timeline:

• January – Phase I of the application opened January 1 and closes on February 15, 2024, 5:00 PM PT
• Late February – Applicants are evaluated and the most competitive are selected as Finalists
• March 1 – Finalists are announced and asked to submit essays, recommendations, transcripts, FAFSA, and other related documents
• June – HSF Scholars are announced (includes both funded and Scholars waitlisted for funding)
• June to November – Final Document Verification (financial aid award letter, enrollment verification, and related documents)
• December – 10,000 HSF Scholars are confirmed after the verification process is complete

Sincerely,

The HSF Scholar Program Team

The Academic Letter Breakfast on February 27 will be for students who earned a 3.7 GPA or higher last semester. This is a student only event. Students will receive an Academic Letter or a Lamp of Learning Pin.

The College and Career Center is offering FAFSA support for families on the following dates from 5:00-6:30 in the library:

Tuesday, Feb. 13th

Thursday Feb. 22nd

Tuesday, March 19th

Thursday, March 28th

Thursday, April 11th.

Summer Programs

Summer might seem a long way off but applications for programs are now open.

Take advantage of these opportunities to learn, grown, and have fun!

Something for everyone so check them out.

Cesar Chavez Leadership Institute:

Inspiring and motivating students to participate in the civic, economic and cultural life in their community. Selected applicants will get a week long residential experience at ASU.

Current 10th and 11th graders.

Dates: June 16-20, 2024.

Cost: FREE!

https://eoss.asu.edu/access/cesar-e-chavez-leadership-institute

RISE Summer Leadership Institute:

RISE Summer Leadership Institute is a residential college readiness program for Black and African American students entering 9th-12th grade.

Topics for the camp include but are not limited to: College Readiness, Choosing A Major, Black Excellence, Community Service, and Personal Growth

Date: Sunday June 23 - Thursday June 27, 2024

Location: ASU Tempe Campus

Cost: No cost to apply. If selected to attend, campers pay a $50 non-refundable registration fee.

Priority Deadline: February 23, 2024

Application Deadline: April 5, 2024

https://eoss.asu.edu/summer-program/riseleadershipinstitute

The Barrett Summer Scholars:

Students will have the opportunity to experience college firsthand and prepare for enrollment and success at Arizona State University and Barrett, the Honors College.

Who: Current 9, 10, 11th graders.

Eligibility: GPA 2.7 or higher.

Cost $1,000 (+$50 non-refundable deposit after notification of acceptance)

**Scholarships** are available to applicants who demonstrate financial need (free or reduced lunch).

Various dates and ASU locations. See application.

https://eoss.asu.edu/bss

ASU Universal Learners and

ASU Engineering Fast Track (EFT):

How it works. A new program from ASU. With U.L and EFT, high school students have a unique opportunity to start taking college classes online. Earn college credit without having to incur financial or GPA risks. $25 to take a class. Then $400 at the end of the class IF you want the class on your college transcript. Got a bad grade? Don't pay to add it to your transcript. Re-take it at another time or not at all.

Not going to ASU? Credits are transferable. 7.5 and 16 week online classes available.

Universal Learners= Many general classes. English, Marketing, Astronomy, etc.

https://ea.asu.edu/how-it-works/high-school-learners/

EFT= Just engineering types of classes. Math, Science, Computers, etc

https://engineering.asu.edu/programs/accelerated/fast-track/

UofA Summer Engineering Camps

Various summer programs for different grades and interests. Some are day and some are overnight. $750 for overnight programs but needs based scholarships available for those that qualify. Day camps $300.

Applications open Feb 26.

https://www.engineering.arizona.edu/k12/k12_SEA

Summer Scrubs:

Summer Scrubs is a health career exploration program that helps high school students prepare for their future in the health professions. With this program, students will get the opportunity to participate in professional lectures, health-related field trips and hands-on lab experiences. "Scrub in" this summer at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – located in Phoenix!

Various programs and dates for 9-11th graders.

Reasonably priced with full & partial needs-based scholarships available to those that qualify.

Applications close March 3rd.

https://phoenixmed.arizona.edu/summerscrubs

Summer Ignite at Universal Technical Institute:

Do you have a goal of being an in demand auto mechanic?

UTI offers Summer Ignite, a three week summer program where you can learn automotive skills — at no cost.

Program is for current 11th graders only.

Date and times TBA. Request for information about the program is open.

https://www.uti.edu/programs/ignite

EMCC:

Get a head start on college and take a class or two over the summer.

Summer schedule and offerings will be posted after spring break.

https://www.estrellamountain.edu/

Avondale Teen Police Academy:

Learn about the many duties and responsibilities of being a police officer as they serve and protect our community.

Open to students ages 14-17. Limited to 12-15 students.

Date: TBA but it has been mid-July in the past.

Application is not yet open but click on the link to read about more details of the application process.

https://www.avondaleaz.gov/government/departments/police/police-department-programs/citizen-police-academy

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University:

Located two hours away in Prescott, AZ, Embry Riddle has a variety of computer, engineering, and flight programs offered to students from 7-18. Be sure to check for details as some are residential and some are just day camps.

https://summercamps.erau.edu/camps

City of Avondale- Volunteer and Job opportunities:

The City of Avondale always has events and needs volunteers. What better way to get community service hours and show you A-Town pride!

https://www.avondaleaz.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities

The City of Avondale also has a new water park opening up and is hiring lifeguards.

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/avondale?department[0]=Parks%20%26%20Recreation&sort=PositionTitle%7CAscending

Life Time Fitness:

The Kids Camp Counselor leads children through a variety of activities including rock climbing, swimming, weekly field trips, arts & crafts, gym games and more. They incorporate nutrition education with weekly-themed camps providing a high level of safety and fun for children from ages three to twelve years.

https://www.indeed.com/q-summer-camp-counselor-l-phoenix,-az-jobs.html?vjk=264dc83bf7b03570

The FAFSA is now open. Families can compete applications here.

Agua Fria School District has been working with Billy’s Place to help support our grieving students. The counseling team and social worker will be starting a small grief group for students who have suffered from a loss of a loved one. Please contact our social worker, Lisa Montijo, at emontijo@aguafria.org if your student is interested in participating.

Counselors: Jennifer Ferrante-Jackson Students with last names A-D, T, U

jferrantejack@aguafria.org

Jill Goodall Students with last names E-K, Q, R

jgoodall@aguafria.org

Bill Lucas Students with last names L-P

blucas@aguafria.org

Azalea Flores-Moreno Students with last names S, V-Z and all ELL students

afloresmoreno@aguafria.org

If you have a question or want to speak to an administrator at any time during the year, please reference the alphabetical breakdown below. A specific administrator is assigned to students based on their last name.

A-C-Mr. Jovanelly jjovanelly@aguafria.org

D-J-Ms. Tiffany ktiffany@aguafria.org

K-P-Mr. Gardner agardner@aguafria.org

Q-Z-Ms. Alickovic aalickovic@aguafria.org

Principal Autumn Daniels adaniels@aguafria.org

Regular Communication

Email and the Remind App will be our primary source of communication with parents and students this year. The email address used will be the primary email given at registration. Parents are also automatically added to Remind through the contact information provided in your enrollment paperwork. Students’ Remind accounts are automatically created for students using their student email account.

Join us on the Remind App @aguafriahi

Here are directions to join Remind

Social Media

Click here for all of our Social Media accounts

Website: www.aguafria.org/afhs

Facebook: Agua Fria High School

Twitter: Agua Fria High School @aguafriaowls

Instagram: @aguafriaowls

AFHS Broadcast Student Announcements