The Acorn

Greetings AOC Families,

Happy Spring Break! We hope that you have a restful Spring Break!

When you return, the Friday schedule will be a M/W. Thank you to the parents who joined our Book Club. The next chat will be held on May 7th over Google Meets. I hope you can join us. We will continue discussing the book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers. It was a great evenign for community building and support for our parenting journeys.

Upcoming Events

April 21 and 22- CAASPP Testing for 11th grade, attendance is important

April 25-4th Quarter Progress Report Card

May 5-9- Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week

May 2- Senior Dance

May 7- Emotional Lives of Teenagers Parent Book Club, link below

May 22- Showcase, AOC Open House

May 26-Memorial Day/Holiday/No School

June 4- Senior Sunset and Graduation Rehearsal

June 5- Last day of school & AOC Graduation for Seniors at 6pm in the COC PAC

August 12th- First day of the 2025-2026 school year. The 2025-2026 WSHUHSD Calendar is attached.

Sincerely,

Dr. Juliet Fine

Principal of AOC

(661) 362-3056

jfine@hartdistrict.org

661-362-3056

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

Hey Santa Clarita! We’re the AOC Math and Physics Club, and we’re excited to announce the 4th annual edition of our Spring Math Meet!

The Spring Math Meet is a competition for middle and high school students in the William S. Hart District.The competition is meant to inspire interest in math competitions among students in Santa Clarita.

The competition will be held on April 19th, from 9 AM - 1 PM, at the College of the Canyons University Center (Valencia Campus) in room 258. We will have two main divisions for the competition – one for middle schoolers, and one for high schoolers – as well as other short, fun competitions, such as an Integration Bee, a Physics Round, and a Speed Round. Each round will have a separate prize pool which will total $250 – the main divisions will have prizes for the top 3 scorers, while the optional rounds have prizes for the winner. Lunch will be provided for all attending students, graciously funded by Jane Street and AOC Roots!

We hope you’ll consider attending!"

We've also made some posters that you can send out, and they're at the following link: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGCIb0bNac/vrAZswealLNK_WxBfwThTw/view?utm_content=DAGCIb0bNac&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hda07a2f2ff

Sorry for the delay!

Thank you,

Praneel Samal

The Emotional Lives of Teenagers Ch. 2 and 3

Wednesday, May 7 · 6:30 – 7:30pm

Time zone: America/Los_Angeles

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/gym-xvpt-mgj

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 219-401-0415‬ PIN: ‪823 445 654‬#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/gym-xvpt-mgj?pin=8412310760152

We’re thrilled to share that AOC’s very first Jazz Ensemble has officially started—and it’s all thanks to our amazing students who made it happen!

We had a fantastic turnout with about 15 students attending both Wednesday afternoon and Friday morning rehearsals with the talented Mr. Manak. The energy was incredible, and it’s so exciting to see a brand new musical tradition take root for both our AOC/LPA students!

🎺 Want to Join the Band?
If you're interested in being part of this after-school enrichment program or just want to learn more, reach out to:
📧 jfine@hartdistrict.org
📧 mkhamvongsa@hartdistrict.org

The Jazz Ensemble will also have opportunities to participate in summer workshops with Mr. Manak—more details coming soon!

Let the music play! 🎼

ACSA Senior Scholarship

The scholarship submission link is here.

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 APPLICANT DEADLINE: Friday, April 25, 2025

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

I am excited to share that the 2025 Congressional Art Competition is now open!

This year, I’m excited to invite high school students from the Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, and San Fernando Valley to submit their artwork to be displayed in the United States Capitol. The winner of the competition will also have the opportunity to come to Washington, D.C. for an awards ceremony.

If you know a high school student in our district who loves making art and being creative, I encourage you to share this opportunity with them! I can’t wait to see what our students come up with.

You can see the full list of requirements and guidelines here.

To participate in the competition, send a completed Student Release Form and a scanned photo of your artwork to Art.CompCA27@mail.house.gov by April 18th.

If you have any questions about the competition, please visit my website.

It’s an honor to serve California’s 27th District,

Rep. George Whitesides
U.S. House of Representatives
CA-27

AOC families: These next few weeks, Ms. Grijalva will be working on your child's 25/26 AOC class schedule as well as on welcoming our Class of 2029! Once we return from spring break, we will begin working on including COC classes (once the Fall COC schedule is posted). COC registration will be May 20th, 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 25-26 schedules. They will not be available to you until the week of April 28th as it takes time to include all your COC classes in your schedules.

10th Grade Students

• 10th grade AOC class schedules will be available approx. the week of April 21st (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 will be available approx. the week of April 21st (paper version only). They will be handed out during Advisement. That week students will also make COC class requests via Google classroom.
• The week of April 28th, Ms. Grijalva will begin visiting Advisement classes to begin discussing the upcoming college admissions season.

12th Grade Students

• Seniors have until May 1st to make their college decision. 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, students can find the dates via email.
• For COC Commencement information please check: https://www.canyons.edu/studentservices/campuslife/events/commencement/index.php

**********************************

Diana Grijalva M.S., P.P.S (she/her/hers)

Counselor

Academy of the Canyons

P: 661-362-3056 F: 661-255-2954

www.academyofthecanyons.com

As we move into this season of renewal and reflection, we recognize and celebrate three meaningful holidays observed by many in our school community: Eid al-Fitr, Easter, and Passover. Each of these holidays holds deep significance for those who celebrate and offers an opportunity for learning, respect, and connection.

🌙 Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, a holy month of fasting, prayer, and reflection for Muslims around the world. Celebrated with festive gatherings, special prayers, and acts of charity, Eid is a time of gratitude and joy. In 2025, Eid began at sunset on March 29 and continued into March 30 (dates may vary based on moon sightings).

✝️ Easter, celebrated by Christians, falls on April 20, 2025, and commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many observe this day with church services, family gatherings, and traditions like egg hunts, symbolizing new life and hope.

🍽️ Passover (Pesach) is an eight-day Jewish festival (April 12–April 20, 2025) that commemorates the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. Families celebrate with a Seder meal, storytelling, and traditions emphasizing freedom and resilience.

To our students, families, and staff observing these holidays, we wish you moments of reflection, joy, and togetherness. These celebrations remind us of the importance of faith, family, and the values of compassion, resilience, and gratitude—values that enrich our entire school community.

Wishing all who celebrate(d) a meaningful Eid Mubarak, Happy Easter, and Chag Pesach Sameach!

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