The Acorn

Greetings AOC Families,

I hope that you had a restful weekend! Here is the student bulletin for this week. And, this Friday is a T/Th schedule.

Upcoming Events

April 26-End of 4th Quarter Progress Report Card

May 3- Senior Dance

May 16th-Showcase, AOC Open House

May 30th- Graduation at 6pm in the COC Performing Arts Center (PAC)

May 27th-No School, Memorial Day

May 30th-Last day of school, end of second semester, Last day of COC Spring 2024 classes

May 31st-Teacher work day, no students

June 1st-August 11- Summer Break

August 12th- First day of the 2024-2025 school year. The 2024-2025 WSHUHSD Calendar is attached.

Have a restful weekend!

Sincerely,

Dr. Juliet Fine

Principal of AOC

(661) 362-3056

jfine@hartdistrict.org

661-362-3056

Carla Tuttle, Office Manager/ Registrar- ctuttle@hartdistrict.org

• AOC families: These past few weeks, Ms. Grijalva has been working on your child's 24/25 AOC class schedules as well as on welcoming our Class of 2028! This week, we will begin working on including COC classes (once the Fall COC schedule is posted). COC registration will be May 14th, more information will be provided once we get closer to that date.

  
  

  Please remember, if students have questions, Ms. Grijalva has walk-in hours during lunch and after school. Students can also schedule appointments via calendly at calendly.com/dgrijalva. See below for more grade specific reminders or information.

  
  

  9th Grade Students

  • 9th grade students, Ms. Grijalva will continue working on your AOC/COC 24-25 schedules. They will not be available to you until the week of April 22nd as it takes time to include all your COC classes in your schedules.

  
  

  10th Grade Students

  • 10th grade AOC class schedules are available as of 4/15-4/16 (paper version only). They will be handed to students during Advisement. Students will begin choosing COC sections during this time as well.

  
  

  11th Grade Students

  • 11th grade AOC class schedules are available as of 4/15-4/16 (paper version only). They will be handed out during Advisement. This week students will also make COC class requests via Google classroom.
  • The week of April 29th, Ms. Grijalva will visit Advisement classes to begin discussing the upcoming college admissions season.

  
  

  12th Grade Students

  • Due to the FAFSA roll-out issues, Seniors have until May 15th to make their college decisions if they plan to attend a UC or CSU. Many other colleges still have a May 1 due date to commit. This is commonly known as "Decision Day" in the United States, and it marks the deadline for high school seniors to inform colleges and universities of their decision to enroll or not enroll.
  • If time permits, AOC encourages all students to visit campuses before committing to attend. April is when most campuses have welcome days for admitted students and we know many of you visited campuses this past weekend and Spring Break.
  • If your child has decided where to attend already, please remind them to update their Naviance account to reflect their chosen college.
  • Students and families still have time to submit the FAFSA. Visit https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa to complete the Free Application; If a student is choosing to use Canyons Promise at COC, a FAFSA must be submitted.
  • Seniors, don't forget there are still scholarships available, please check Google Classroom for the latest one.
  • For COC Commencement information please check: https://www.canyons.edu/studentservices/campuslife/events/commencement/index.php
  • AOC Graduation is May 30th at the COC PAC at 6pm.

  
  

  
  

All families and community members are invited to AOC's Open House, called Showcase. Our students will display and explain their student projects and work that they completed this school year. Incoming freshman student are also invited to a special ASB activity held in the University Center. We hope that you can join us! It's a community-wide event.

AOC Families,

We are excited to share the wonderful news that Victoria Rubay has been selected as AOC’s Teacher of the Year for the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year. This is a tremendous accomplishment, and Mrs. Rubay truly deserves this recognition for his outstanding contributions to our school community.

And, congratulations to Mr. Mike Koegle for being our Teacher of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year.

As you may recall, our selection process is based on several criteria, including professional growth, commitment, personal attributes, and professional skills. To her peers, Mrs. Rubay stood out in all of these areas, demonstrating her dedication to her profession and her students.

Here are some of the comments that were shared by her peers:

• Mrs. Rubay is passionate about history! She loves teaching, and she loves her students.
• She is a team player, always open to new ideas and making curriculum work so students have the best learning experience possible.
• Her efforts with the student tutoring program have directly and indirectly supported all students on campus.
  
• Her program helps students feel more confident and comforted knowing that there are trained peers ready to help them reach their academic potential.
  
• Additionally, Mrs. Rubay is an expert in building relationships, creating relevant assignments, and meeting students' social and emotional skills.
  
• She’s always willing to help out at graduation and make it a seamless event.

Please join me in congratulating Mrs. Rubay on this well-deserved recognition. We are fortunate to have her as part of our school community, and I know that she will continue to inspire and make a positive impact on our student's lives and the entire AOC community.

The scholarship submission link is: http://bit.ly/scvacsa2024

Similar to last year, applicants will submit all of their information and their essay via the above link.
For electronic entries, all applications must be entered by Monday, May 3, 2024.

Our SCV ACSA board will make selections for each school and a winner will be announced at AOC's Senior Award Night (an event by invitation only, May 10th).

This is not an endorsement for their campaign but an offering of a political internship opportunity for students that was sent to all high schools in our valley.

Here is a letter from Suzette Martinez for State Senate...

At Suzette Martinez for State Senate, we believe in nurturing young talent and providing them with valuable real-world experience in a vibrant and dynamic political environment. Our internship program is designed to empower students with practical skills, hands-on learning, and exposure to the inner workings of the political world.

Here's why our political internship program stands out:
· Real-World Political Experience: Students will have the chance to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world projects, gaining practical skills that will set them apart in their future careers.
· Mentorship: Our interns will work alongside experienced professionals who are committed to guiding and supporting their growth throughout the internship.
· Networking: They will have the opportunity to connect with local leaders, activists, and influencers, building a strong network in the world of politics, civil service, and Government.
· Resume Booster: Internship experience with Suzette’s campaign will not only make their resumes shine but will also give them the tools to be effective advocates for the causes they believe in.
We believe it's crucial for young people to make their voices heard in the political arena. Our internship program provides them with the platform to do just that. By participating, they'll play an active role in shaping the future of our community and our State.
We are currently accepting applications for our upcoming political internship program and would love the opportunity to present it to your students in person, or for you to share this information with them.
Should you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly at jack@suzettevalladares.com or haiden@suzettevalladares.com. We are dedicated to providing an enriching professional experience for interns and empowering them to be advocates for change.
Thank you for your time, and we look forward to welcoming passionate students from Learning Post Academy onto our team!

For the rest of the school year, students and parents are invited to share any good news that they are proud of with the rest of the AOC community. Please share the good news with me, jfine@hartdistrict.org and I will share it with the entire community. Let's celebrate our students' accomplishments together.

Located on the campus of College of the Canyons, AOC is proud to be the middle college high school in the William S. Hart Union High School District serving students 9th-12th grades in the Santa Clarita Valley. Students have the opportunity to earn between 24 and 44 transferable college units, prior to receiving their high school diplomas. Upon graduation, the majority of Academy students pursue their post high school education by continuing at COC and completing their college transfer requirements in only one year after high school. Other AOC students go directly into a four-year university, bringing their community college units with them and placing themselves well into their freshman and sophomore years at the college level. While attending AOC as a high school student, community college tuition is waived for established California residents.

Email: jfine@hartdistrict.org
Website: https://www.academyofthecanyons.com/
Location: Academy of the Canyons, Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA, USA
Phone: 661-362-3056
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Academy-of-the-Canyons-Middle-College-High-School-330158873741614
Twitter: @Academy_Canyons