The APHS Look AHEAD- May 2024
Dear APHS students and families,
Happy May!
We are in the final stretches of the 2023-2024 school year. As we wrap up the year, it is incredible to see how much growth and value added we have experienced at the high school over the past nine months. Our faculty teams and staff has been intensively focusing on student academic performance, using both DO NOW actions, and common formative assessments, to make sure that we are tracking, and remediating, issues proactively. Right now, 74% of our students are passing all of their classes, and we have seen drastic reductions in the number of students who are failing multiple courses on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Our structured study halls and advisories have helped a great deal, as well.
In addition to core academic improvements, our students have been active in an array of meaningful ways. Our student and staff Wellness Team implemented three Wellness Weeks, a Wellness Day, and brought in three speakers over the course of the year. Our team of students working through QUESTAR III's Elevating Student Voices Regional Program are working on initiatives to help ensure that all students feel welcomed and included in the school community. The 24 students who have led the process of finding our next nickname, after the Warriors, are just weeks away from a final outcome. Our We Make AP a Great Place to Be program, which celebrates and recognizes student successes, both inside and outside of the classroom, is making a difference. Student behavioral issues are down by over 65% when compared to last year, chronic attendance issues are reduced significantly, and over 70% of our students are engaged actively in an extracurricular activity or interscholastic athletic program. In the end, it has been wonderful to see our students and school community begin to truly thrive again after the damage we incurred from COVID. Welcome back, AP!
The upcoming months are full of celebrations, events, and wonderful opportunities to come together. I am looking forward to seeing folks at these. As always, I ask that while we celebrate, we also keep an eye on finishing strong, and making sure that we do everything we can to earn every credit, pass every class, and walk away from the year with no regrets. We are nearing the end, but there is still a great deal of important work to do.
If you need anything at all, please never hesitate to reach out!
We are always happy to help!
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 9 and 11 (meinc@apcsd.org)
-Mrs. Rebecca Leach, Assistant Principal, Grades 10 and 12 (leachr@apcsd.org)
#AP_EveryStudentEveryDay
"Creating passionate learners who contribute positively to their community and the world."
We are looking ahead to the June Regents. Here is a link to the June 2024 Regents Schedule so you can plan ahead!
Please note that we have a special administration of our first of the new Algebra 1 Regents Exam on Tuesday, June 4th. On this day, there will be no regular instruction. Only students taking the Algebra 1 Regents will report to school.
We have made it to May!
The days are getting longer and we have a busy month of events ahead of us!
Click the link below to access our "We Make AP a GREAT Pace to Be" Project Calendar of Events for the month of May:
Each marking period the high school has been recognizing students who make AP a GREAT Place to BE!
Students were selected because they made our school community a better place to be by; helping others, overcoming adversity, working hard, taking on a leadership role, or in general being a good citizen of our community.
Selected students were acknowledged at the end of quarter class meetings, and received an I make AP a GREAT place to BE T-Shirt. Attached below is the list of students acknowledged during our 3rd quarter assemblies.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sPHW0AATzCAJ_w1zkotZwf_mdVgEdbSmmssFQBq7-4A/edit?usp=sharing
The student-led Warrior's Renaming Committee will wrap up their work this month, aiming to end May with a final outcome with regards to who we will be after the "Warriors".
The committee has been meeting all year, and has implemented two school and community-wide surveys. The results of the last survey, as presented to the Board of Education earlier this month, are linked here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Zftbz_Yovcr_u_iuxbOKnPaXrm44_zMsIi26t6PG-Fg/edit?usp=sharing
The committee will be implementing one final survey, taking the final two names (The Golden Knights and The Lakers) down to a final one. This survey will be open to the public from May 3rd until May 22nd.
Keep eye out for a link to the survey, which will be emailed to all students and parents, as well shared on social media, and distributed to the community via flyers with QR codes!
This summer, Arts Letters and Numbers will be providing summer program and interdisciplinary internship opportunities for both professionals and young people in the community.
To learn more, take a look at the below link, and contact them TODAY!
https://www.averillpark.k12.ny.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Craft-1o1_Parent_Newsletter-scaled.jpg
The results are in for the 2024 Capital Region Media Arts Festival.
Please congratulate the following students for their participation in this year's festival:
9th Grade:
Abigail Hurst
Nora Ring
10th Grade:
Katie Buttaci
Zoe Smith
11th Grade:
Keegan Lange
Sophia Bushey
Carley Walsh
12th Grade:
Vivian Ackerman
Marlee Cooke
Ash Zimmerman
A special congratulations to the following students:
Carley Walsh
1st Place
In the Photography Category: Still Life, Objects, or Interior Space
Abigail Hurst
2nd Place
In the Photography Category: Still Life, Objects, or Interior Space
Marlee Cooke
Honorable Mention
In the Design Category: Digital Fine Art
Keegan Lange
Honorable Mention
In the Photography Category: The Human Figure or Portrait
Ash Zimmerman
Honorable Mention
In the Design Category: Digital Fine Art
This festival was developed and organized to provide students with a venue to explore and share their creative efforts in the media arts.
Three talented APHS Art Students had work selected for Questar III’s 35th Annual Juried Art Exhibit! 21 schools participated and on April 16th, our very own Mikayla Malenfant took first place at the reception!
On April 10, the APHS 2nd Annual Jazz Coffeehouse was held!
The community was treated to some wonderful performances (primarily put together by students), had a large appreciative crowd, and there was a wonderful atmosphere. Also, over $200 was raised in memory of Alex Holcomb and will be donated to the Melodies Center and the American Cancer Society.
Thank you to everyone involved for making this a great evening!
The 3rd Annual Averill Park High School World Languages Department and International Club’s Import & Domestic Car Show will take place on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at Averill Park High School (146 Gettle Road, Averill Park, NY 12018).
Registration ($10 day of show) is from 9:00am until 11:00 and the show continues until 2:00. Our volunteer student judges (coached by Hemmings Motor News professionals) will be selecting the winning vehicles in 21 different trophy categories. Imported and domestic cars, motorcycles, and trucks are all welcome.
Registration proceeds will benefit senior scholarships for the World Languages Department. Car wash and food proceeds will benefit the International Club. The rain date is June 2nd.
https://www.averillpark.k12.ny.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/car-show-poster-year-3.jpg
QR code https://www.averillpark.k12.ny.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/qrcode_www.hemmings.com_.png
Class of 2025 Group Photo will be taken on Monday, May 20th, during Advisory. (Raindate: May 21)
Panoramic photo size 10" x 30" can be purchased for $15. Order forms will be handed out in Advisory on May 1.
Class of 2025: Your Senior photos will be taken in late June, during Regents exam days; Watch for
news on the dates / sign-ups / information.
Yearbooks! Order online at jostensyearbooks.com
APHS 2024 yearbooks are selling quickly; Buy yours today!
They will be distributed in June.
Questions? baileya@apcsd.org
Yearbooks are selling quickly!
Purchase your APHS Yearbook online at: jostensyearbooks.com
Our 2024 Yearbook is finished and in production. It will arrive in mid-June!
....Stay tuned for distribution dates!!
Questions? baileya@apcsd.org
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 & Career software program available that the students have been introduced to and encouraged to use. Students can log on and complete career interest inventories, take a strengths assessment to learn about their skills and which careers align with those skills. The program also provides information on available scholarships and what colleges are visiting the high school to meet with interested students. Students are asked to have a signed permission slip from a parent in order to miss class to meet with visiting college representatives.
College Entrance Tests:
SAT I & II:
May 4, 2024 (Registration deadline is April 19)
June 1, 2024 (Registration deadline is May 16)
ACT:
June 18, 2024 (Registration deadline is May 3)
July 13, 2024 (Registration deadline is June 7)
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.
Please use this link for information about accommodations:
https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/how-accommodations-work
Working Papers:
Nice weather is coming and many of you will be thinking of a Summer Job which means you will need to obtain 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.
When parking on campus, both the main parking lot out front and the small parking lot by the parent drop off area are available for students to park. Parents should only use the parent loop (music wing parking lot) to drop off or pick up their student(s). Students may not park in the Visitor parking spaces. Any students parking in the visitor spaces will meet with their class Assistant Principal and may be subject to towing and/or lose their parking pass privileges.
As we move into spring, we wanted to send out a few reminders about morning drop off. By design, we have separate zones for student and parent traffic. Parents who are picking up or dropping off students should only use the parent drop-off loop, as outlined in the map attached below.
To ensure the safety of our student drivers, parents should NOT drop off or pick-up students in the front lot.
Parent Pick UP and Drop Off Map
For those who use the parent drop-off loop, we would like to make a few suggestions in order to expedite student drop off and make this process more efficient:
Parents should pull around the drop off loop and stop at our new sandwich board sign. (See below) This will allow more cars to fit into the loop, reduce back-up on to Gettle Road and increase the speed of drop off.
When pulling in, students should be ready with their belongings to quickly exit the car.
If students have sports equipment, projects, or other large items that require more time to get out of the car, please feel free to park in a parking spot in the parent loop. This will allow them time to get their belongings without feeling rushed.
Students are required to be in their class at 7:30am; therefore, students should aim to be in the building by the warning bell at 7:23 am. This will allow students to have plenty of time to get to their first class of the day on time.
The parent pick up line will take between five and ten minutes to navigate each morning, so please plan accordingly, or arrive early!
The high school's front doors open daily at 7am, and we have supervision and breakfast in the Student Union starting at that time. Feel free to take advantage of this and avoid the traffic!
Again, our many thanks for your help in keeping our campus parking lots safe!
We truly appreciate your cooperation.
Important Medication Information to keep in mind for EVERY school year:
New medication forms for both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications must be signed every year by a healthcare provider and parent/guardian.
- Must have written parental permission for Tylenol and Ibuprofen to be given during the school day. If you want your child to self-carry these types of medication then there MUST be an order from their provider on file in the nurse's office that is written every year.
- The link for the Tylenol/Ibuprofen permission slip is attached below. THIS MUST BE FILLED OUT EVERY SCHOOL YEAR AND TURNED IN. The nurse is not able to take verbal permission per our school medical director.
Medication must remain in the properly labeled pharmacy or original OTC container. Your child CAN NOT share ANY medication prescribed or over the counter (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Midol, Pamprin, or allergy medication) with another student.
• The parent/guardian is responsible for having prescribed medication delivered directly to the school in a properly labeled original container by an adult.
• If your child has rescue medications for respiratory conditions, epinephrine auto-injector, or insulin, glucagon, and related diabetes supplies, there must be a provider's written permission which includes an attestation that the student has demonstrated the ability to self-administer and written parent/guardian consent. For other conditions, your child may be able to self-carry and self-administer but will need written permission from both you and your provider.
We request that you ask your pharmacist to give you a second identically labeled container for any prescription medications your student will take at school. We also request that you bring small containers of any OTC medications that your child will take.
This will allow the School Nurse to send these medications on field trips and comply with New York State laws pertaining to medication storage.
Medication forms are available on the district website or may be obtained from the school health office. Your healthcare provider may use their own form if desired.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A physical exam is required by New York State Education law for children in 9th &11th grade and those who are new entrants in our school district. A certificate of dental health is also requested.
A report of the physical exam and the dental health certificate is kept as part of the child’s cumulative health record. The physical exam information is due to school no later than 30 calendar days after the start of the school year. The physical exam requirement will be filled by a report of the most recent physical from your child’s health care provider, licensed to practice in New York State and dated no earlier than 9/2/2022. The report must be provided on the NYS approved Student Health Examination Form for Schools. The dental health requirement will be filled by a signed and dated certificate of the most recent dental visit by a dentist or dental hygienist licensed to practice in New York State. Both documents are on the school web page and can be printed.
Per NYS, school districts are not allowed to accept the physical on any other physical form.
Link here:
https://www.averillpark.k12.ny.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/3312023_health-exam-form.pdf
If your child needs any type of medication at school, a doctor’s order needs to be provided to the health office and the parent/guardian needs to bring the medication into school. Students are not allowed to carry ANY medication unless there is a doctor's order stating as such, this also includes ANY over the counter medication such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen. You may sign a parental consent form stating that you give the school nurse permission to administer these medications. Verbal consent will no longer be accepted per the school medical director. Here is a link to that form:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kTE50qvPaZBP3vhnQm7VcHLvt4A2k8sW/view?usp=sharing
Doctor's notes for any illness, surgery or procedure:
A doctor's note is required for any illness, surgery or procedure. This information, when provided, will help your child to continue to receive P.E. credit if they are able to participate in some way. This will also allow accommodations, if needed, for your child during the school day. For athletics, the more specific information provided will improve the coordinated care between the athletic trainer and nurses, as well as improve the transition in returning to play.
IMPORTANT LINKS TO CALENDARS AND SCHEDULES FOR 2023-2024
The APCSD District Calendar for 23-24:
https://www.averillpark.k12.ny.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023-2024_School_Calendar.pdf
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bpTcpmloky4djmThIrMafrFMM4G6RBES/view?usp=drive_link
This is a fixed schedule, and will not change based on snow days.
Our Daily Bell Schedule for 23-24 has changed slightly.
Announcements will occur during advisory, which is now six minutes longer.
Please note that this document includes schedules for one- and two-hour delays, as well as half days.
Marking Periods/Grade Reporting at the HS for the 23-24 School Year:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iO85vW95uSLDKDJLAf8ctZhwTEhwvWfhVxRxQPofwqY/edit?usp=drive_link
APHS Morning Arrival Procedures for Students- 2023-2024 School Year
Our procedures for morning arrival as we open the 2023-2024 school year will be as follows:
- Students who take the bus will be let off of their buses at 7:23 am outside the high school. Bus students will enter the HS through the Atrium and Athletic Lobby Entrances and may get breakfast and/or report directly to their first block class, which begins promptly at 7:30 am. BE SURE TO WATCH FOR THE DRY BUS RUN ON THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 5th!
Students who are dropped off by parents, or who drive themselves to school, will enter the building through the Main Entrance in the front of the HS. These students will report to the HS Cafeteria upon arrival, where breakfast will also be available! At 7:23 am, when the bell rings, students will report to their first block class. We ask that students not be dropped off any earlier than 7:00 am.
- For parents who are dropping students off, please use the drop-off loop, and follow the traffic patterns outlined here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10HfRVkvS-58ROF22A-0_eXXkEOqjIwTy/view?usp=sharing
Student drivers are reminded that our morning warning bell rings at 7:23 am, with first block beginning at promptly at 7:30 am. Be on time!
Dismissal, End-of-Day Routines, and Extracurricular Activities
Our dismissal procedures, at the end of the school day, are as follows as we open the 2023-2024 school year:
- Dismissal for all students at APHS will occur at 2:10 pm.
- Students who take the bus home should exit the building directly through either the Atrium or Athletic Wing doors.
- Students who drive themselves or get picked up by parents/guardians, should exit the building through any doors facing the front portion of the high school.
- Parents/Guardians who are picking up students should wait in the parent drop-off/pick-up loop.
If students are staying after school for academic support, athletics, or extracurricular activities it is important that they report to the location in which they are staying by 2:20 pm. When students have finished up, they may wait in the HS cafeteria for a late bus or a ride.
During the 23-24 school year, we will offer late buses for students who would like to stay after school. These buses will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays only, leaving the HS at 4:15 pm, beginning the week of Sept 18th.
ALL students that are staying after must sign up by 9 am the day that they plan to stay after. ALL students that are staying after must be signed up to stay with a faulty or staff member. Please note that Wynantskill will not be providing late buses this year.
Due to a continued shortage of drivers, we encourage students, to the greatest extent possible, to arrange their own transportation for after-school activities.
Student and Parent Access to Instructional Resources and Class Information
Transparency and parent/family access to instructional materials is important to maintaining a partnership in the learning endeavors of our students.
All APHS faculty use Google Classroom as the consistent platform for sharing instructional materials with students, and their parents/guardians.
We will continue to maintain a singular digital location for students and parents to access these Google Classrooms, as well as a syllabus for each course.
At the top of the District website, hover over "Our Schools"
then "Averill Park High School"
then "Academics"
you will see a list of departments in the dropdown menu. Simply click on the desired Department and then click on GOOGLE DRIVE. This will take you to the above materials for each teacher.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hwz2PRd5-C-8_z91N-gRmGKwzZXmNfl5?usp=drive_link
All faculty will have their materials posted and updated for the year.
If you have any questions about a specific course, never hesitate to contact the teacher directly.
APHS Building-Wide Norms 2023-2024
One important part of being a positive and contributing member of the school community is understanding, and adhering to, the guidelines, norms and expectations for how we all behave, and treat one another, when at Averill Park High School.
At it's most basic level, as part of our "WE Make AP a GREAT Place to BE" project, we expect that at Averill Park High School, all students will:
- Be Safe
- Be Respectful, and
- Be Responsible.
This looks different in different environments. Here is a link to what sorts of actions and behaviors align with these characteristics within specific areas at the high school:
Student Expectations 2023-2024 DRIVE
Our Assistant Principals, Mrs. Mein and Mrs. Leach, will review these expectations and norms with all students at their first scheduled class meetings on Monday, September 11th and Tuesday, September 12th.
Reminder Related to Eligibility Guidelines for the 2023-2024 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.
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.
After an adjustment period at the opening of the school year, beginning on Monday, September 25th, 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.
Please note that in 23-24, students who do not attend their assigned advisory detention will be subject to further progressive discipline, as well as other interventions.
The APCSD Code of Conduct 23-24
A plain language review of the Code of Conduct will occur in our annual class assemblies, scheduled to occur on Monday, September 11th and Tuesday, September 12th.
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