Monday, November 29, 2010
Welcome back to AHS! I hope this email finds you and your family re-charged and renewed after the Thanksgiving break. Please take a moment to review the following updates:Rube Goldberg Inspired Physics Exhibition
Spring Sports Swap
Sex Ed.
Student Representatives Head to Denver
Rube Goldberg Inspired Physics Exhibition
Animas High is excited to announce a 9th Grade Physics Exhibition on Monday, December 6 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the La Plata County Fairground’s Exhibition Building. Freshmen have been building Rube Goldberg Contraptions as they explore simple machines and energy. A Rube Goldberg Contraption is a device that completes a series of complex steps to complete a simple task. The challenge for this exhibition was for students, in groups of two or three, to choose a task that they could complete in at least 6 steps, including 3 simple machines. Help us spread the word about this fabulous event. We’ll see you Monday night!
Spring Sports Swap
Animas High School will be hosting our first ever SPORTS SWAP this spring! As the holiday season pushes us all to take a look at all the “things” we collect in life, we ask you to keep AHS and our spring sports swap in mind. The swap will provide residents of Southwestern Colorado an opportunity to consign their old athletic gear and sporting equipment. So as you clean out the garage and inventory the closets full of shin guards, baseball mitts and boogie boards, please put those items aside for the swap!
Sex Ed.
Sex Ed. for 9th and 10th graders has been postponed until semester two due to scheduling conflicts. We look forward to offering this essential training this spring for our students. Stand by for future info.
Student Representatives Head to Denver
Our local student representatives head to Denver this week for the National League of Cities Youth Delegates Congress. We are honored and excited to participate in this national gathering of student leaders from all over the US. The AHS Head of School along with Sheri Dugdale and Michael Rendon from the City of Durango will lead the 7 member delegation of students from AHS, DHS and Grace Prep to events in Denver starting this Wednesday. Representing Durango as part of the Mayor’s Youth Council will be AHS sophomore, Nathan Youssef and AHS freshman Sam Kuenzel. Also joining the team is Southwestern Colorado’s Youth advisor to the state senate, AHS sophomore Daniel Fallon-Cyr. We look forward to hearing a complete report from the Capitol when these students return!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
With only one more week until Thanksgiving vacation, our community’s focus this week is finishing strong! Please take a second to review the following updates:Project Week Update
PAC Meeting
Sex Ed.
HOS Reflection
Thanksgiving Vacation
Project Week Update
There have been many questions from families regarding 2011 Project Week. Last week faculty met to refine our project rosters and dial in the final question marks related to trip/project logistics. Faculty will once again be refining their plans at faculty meeting this Monday with the goal of solidifying projects before the holiday break. Thank you for your support and patience as staff work diligently to offer your student the best experience possible. Stay tuned!
PAC Meeting
There will be a PAC meeting this Thurs. Nov. 18th at 6pm in the AHS Commons Room. This meeting has been scheduled to allow parents to attend the sex ed meeting occurring earlier in the afternoon. Parents, this is your chance to speak to all things AHS! We look forward to seeing you there. Questions can be forwarded to pac@animashighschool.com
Sex Ed.
Animas High School is committed to offering our students a comprehensive and holistic secondary education. To this end, the school will be sponsoring two days of sexual education instruction after the Thanksgiving recess scheduled for 11/30 and 12/2. Students received an info sheet and pre-experience questionnaire that should be taken home to their parents detailing the curriculum and material to be covered during this experience. Please note that AHS has partnered with the physicians and professionals at the San Juan Basin Health Dept so that our students receive the most up to date and accurate instruction related to sexual health and behavior.
Parents- Got Questions? I’m sure you do! Please plan on bringing your comments, concerns, ideas and questions to a Parent Info/Overview Session to be held at school Thursday, Nov. 18th from 4:45 to 6 pm at campus. THIS IS NOT A MANDATORY MEETING but a time for parents who feel they need to investigate/learn more about the instruction before permitting their child to participate in this valuable experience. Instructors will be on hand to meet with you and provide clarification.
HOS Reflection
Animas Head of School Michael Ackerman has been attending the 2010 Charter Schools: Practices for High Performance Institute at Harvard University. Read Michael’s reflections on this experience here: http://animashighschool.blogspot.com/2010/11/reflection-refinement-renewal.html
Thanksgiving Vacation
A friendly reminder that Animas High School will be closed November 22nd through the 26th for Thanksgiving Vacation. Campus and the Main Office will be closed for the entire week starting Friday, Nov. 19th. at 3:30 pm. Classes will resume on Monday, Nov.29th at 8:15 AM sharp!
Reflection, Refinement, Renewal
When Animas High School was founded, there was an explicitly stated desire by our school’s founders to commit to continuously developing our staff. As educators, we push ourselves to be reflective practitioners, stay abreast of best practices and continually refine our instruction and operations for maximum student impact and benefit. To this end, I was extremely excited and honored to travel to Cambridge, Massachusetts for Harvard University’s 2010 Charter Schools: Practices for High Performance Institute.
This very full and challenging experience condenses many of the courses and instructional highlights found in much longer classes offered by Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. The roster of educators and in-sector professionals that facilitated this program was an incredibly impressive line-up. Additionally, fellow students in the course represented top charter movement leadership from throughout the country. Needless to say, this was an extremely fertile environment for learning, reflecting, networking and collaborating.
With outstanding Harvard professors like Stig Leschly- named in 2005 by the World Economic Forum as one of the 250 most outstanding Young Global Leaders under 40 , James Honan - a senior lecturer and case study extraordinaire of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Kennedy School of Government and Monica Higgins - faculty member for both the Harvard Business School and the Graduate School of Education, coupled with national charter leaders like Rob Riordan - Dean and co-founder of High Tech High, Sally Bachofer - Assistant Commissioner of the NY State Department of Education, Peter Frumkin - Professor of Public Affairs and Director of the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin and Nelson Smith – a senior advisor for the US Dept. of Education, former director of the National Alliance of Charter Schools and former Education Secretary Rod Paige’s choice as one of 21 negotiators who developed federal regulations for the No Child Left Behind Act. All offering hours of instruction, it was difficult to pick (like students always do) my favorite instructor. Yet my time spent with Dr. Kay Merseth ultimately proved the most powerful.
Dr. Merseth is the senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Kay’s ability to capture your interest and attention through her humor and dynamic instruction, along with her experience and expertise within the field of education is un-matched. Dr. Merseth’s teaching and wisdom has instantly became a milepost in my own development and understanding and I humbly and respectfully suggest her comments, articulated through her closing address, give us all cause to stop and reflect upon the greater charter movement in the United States.
In lieu of mentioning all the things we know charters are doing well, I’d like to summarize Dr. Merseth’s ideas on the obstacles to the future growth of the “movement”. Interestingly and refreshingly enough, the same old complaints of funding inequities, unlevel playing fields, etc., although acknowledged, were not at the root of her argument. Conversely, Dr. Merseth’s challenge to charter leaders everywhere is to change our practices locally before we insist on the greater public changing their beliefs and attitudes towards charter schools.
First, uneven authorizing and monitoring processes threaten to derail the movement. Dr. Merseth pointed out that just because you have the word “charter” in your school’s name, that’s no guarantee of scholastic and cultural success. Also, as more and more charter schools become part of or are opened within Charter Management Organizations, we have to make sure we aren’t just re-inventing a new central office structure found in traditional districts.
Next, it is essential that charter schools everywhere address the question of people resources and human capital. From teachers to administrators, executives to board members, will charter schools be able to attract and retain quality folks? Will schools get teachers that are willing to work 60 hour plus weeks? Will unions enter the charter world with greater force? Where will school heads come from and what skills will these leaders need to be effective and impactful in these new environments?
Third, will philanthropic organizations’ continued focus on larger, more established schools and charter networks detract and diminish their support for other in-sector players? Can a standalone charter school exist with all the financial and facility challenges schools face? Can Charter Management Organizations who offer an efficiency of scale really be a new approach to public education? Will we continue to see limited and shrinking resource availability to the mom and pops? (a la Animas High) And what happens if we find ourselves where charter schools soon outnumber traditional public options; will our programs fall victim to the same bureaucracy and dilution we lobby so hard against?
Finally, as a movement, we must not lose sight of our fundamental commitments to and the core enterprise of teaching and learning. We must constantly ask what are our students learning; academically, socially, emotionally, etc.? Are we assessing students appropriately? And to what degree are we empowering our students, engaging them in their studies and pushing them to take ownership of their educational journey in the years after high school graduation?
Overall, this institute embodied everything we try to bring to our students each day at AHS. Classes and discussions were filled with amazing perspectives highlighting new research and evidence. Through rich small group work and extended time with amazing professors, I had many opportunities to reflect upon our systems and practices which will definitely lead to refinement on the ground in Durango. Surrounded by so many talented, inspirational people, I now see all the avenues for advocacy we have within the greater charter movement. Ultimately it was this idea of renewal, a recharge of my batteries so to speak, that will allow me to continue to persevere and lead our school to ever greater success. The chance to feel like there are other Heads of School struggling with the same challenges and questions across the nation left me feeling connected and may well have been the greatest take away for me. I want to thank Harvard University and Animas High School for this opportunity. It is with a renewed sense of purpose, mission and energy that I look forward to advancing our mission and values and offering a quality, 21st century education to all students in southwestern Colorado.
This very full and challenging experience condenses many of the courses and instructional highlights found in much longer classes offered by Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. The roster of educators and in-sector professionals that facilitated this program was an incredibly impressive line-up. Additionally, fellow students in the course represented top charter movement leadership from throughout the country. Needless to say, this was an extremely fertile environment for learning, reflecting, networking and collaborating.
With outstanding Harvard professors like Stig Leschly- named in 2005 by the World Economic Forum as one of the 250 most outstanding Young Global Leaders under 40 , James Honan - a senior lecturer and case study extraordinaire of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Kennedy School of Government and Monica Higgins - faculty member for both the Harvard Business School and the Graduate School of Education, coupled with national charter leaders like Rob Riordan - Dean and co-founder of High Tech High, Sally Bachofer - Assistant Commissioner of the NY State Department of Education, Peter Frumkin - Professor of Public Affairs and Director of the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin and Nelson Smith – a senior advisor for the US Dept. of Education, former director of the National Alliance of Charter Schools and former Education Secretary Rod Paige’s choice as one of 21 negotiators who developed federal regulations for the No Child Left Behind Act. All offering hours of instruction, it was difficult to pick (like students always do) my favorite instructor. Yet my time spent with Dr. Kay Merseth ultimately proved the most powerful.
Dr. Merseth is the senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Kay’s ability to capture your interest and attention through her humor and dynamic instruction, along with her experience and expertise within the field of education is un-matched. Dr. Merseth’s teaching and wisdom has instantly became a milepost in my own development and understanding and I humbly and respectfully suggest her comments, articulated through her closing address, give us all cause to stop and reflect upon the greater charter movement in the United States.
In lieu of mentioning all the things we know charters are doing well, I’d like to summarize Dr. Merseth’s ideas on the obstacles to the future growth of the “movement”. Interestingly and refreshingly enough, the same old complaints of funding inequities, unlevel playing fields, etc., although acknowledged, were not at the root of her argument. Conversely, Dr. Merseth’s challenge to charter leaders everywhere is to change our practices locally before we insist on the greater public changing their beliefs and attitudes towards charter schools.
First, uneven authorizing and monitoring processes threaten to derail the movement. Dr. Merseth pointed out that just because you have the word “charter” in your school’s name, that’s no guarantee of scholastic and cultural success. Also, as more and more charter schools become part of or are opened within Charter Management Organizations, we have to make sure we aren’t just re-inventing a new central office structure found in traditional districts.
Next, it is essential that charter schools everywhere address the question of people resources and human capital. From teachers to administrators, executives to board members, will charter schools be able to attract and retain quality folks? Will schools get teachers that are willing to work 60 hour plus weeks? Will unions enter the charter world with greater force? Where will school heads come from and what skills will these leaders need to be effective and impactful in these new environments?
Third, will philanthropic organizations’ continued focus on larger, more established schools and charter networks detract and diminish their support for other in-sector players? Can a standalone charter school exist with all the financial and facility challenges schools face? Can Charter Management Organizations who offer an efficiency of scale really be a new approach to public education? Will we continue to see limited and shrinking resource availability to the mom and pops? (a la Animas High) And what happens if we find ourselves where charter schools soon outnumber traditional public options; will our programs fall victim to the same bureaucracy and dilution we lobby so hard against?
Finally, as a movement, we must not lose sight of our fundamental commitments to and the core enterprise of teaching and learning. We must constantly ask what are our students learning; academically, socially, emotionally, etc.? Are we assessing students appropriately? And to what degree are we empowering our students, engaging them in their studies and pushing them to take ownership of their educational journey in the years after high school graduation?
Overall, this institute embodied everything we try to bring to our students each day at AHS. Classes and discussions were filled with amazing perspectives highlighting new research and evidence. Through rich small group work and extended time with amazing professors, I had many opportunities to reflect upon our systems and practices which will definitely lead to refinement on the ground in Durango. Surrounded by so many talented, inspirational people, I now see all the avenues for advocacy we have within the greater charter movement. Ultimately it was this idea of renewal, a recharge of my batteries so to speak, that will allow me to continue to persevere and lead our school to ever greater success. The chance to feel like there are other Heads of School struggling with the same challenges and questions across the nation left me feeling connected and may well have been the greatest take away for me. I want to thank Harvard University and Animas High School for this opportunity. It is with a renewed sense of purpose, mission and energy that I look forward to advancing our mission and values and offering a quality, 21st century education to all students in southwestern Colorado.
Dr. Kay Merseth and AHS Head of School Michael Ackerman at Harvard University's 2010 Charter Schools: Practices for High Performance Institute.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Colorado's new accountability system rates schools' academics
Colorado's new accountability system rates schools' academics
By Jeremy P. Meyer The Denver Post
Posted: 11/04/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
The first look at Colorado's newly developed school accountability system shows two-thirds of the state's schools are getting top grades, but 5 percent are in academic trouble.
Using data from test scores and student academic improvement, the state assigned each Colorado school to one of four "plans."
Top-performing programs landed in "performance" plans, meaning they hit all of the academic measures and need to figure out how to keep up the good work. A total of 1,292 school programs out of 2,080 statewide ranked in this category. The worst performers fell into the "turnaround" category, meaning they've got five years to make serious improvements or face closure.
The other categories are "improvement" and "priority
Extras
Search the list of the CDE's preliminary findings. improvement."
On Wednesday, the state board of education approved the designations for the schools based on student test performance, academic growth, narrowing of achievement gaps and how well students are prepared when they leave high school.
Schools have until Jan. 15 to develop annual improvement plans. In all, 230 school programs need "priority improvement" or "turnaround" plans. They will require some level of state support or oversight.
State officials have called the new School Performance Framework a national model.
"It is intended to build a communal understanding of the performance of schools and to build a planning process on how to improve schools," said Colorado Associate Commissioner Richard Wenning.
The School Performance Framework's big reveal isn't supposed to be for another month, when state officials are planning an event that will include the governor, unveil a new online tool for parents and provide every school a detailed scorecard.
The new system is born out of the 2009 Education Accountability Act.
Jefferson County, the state's largest school district, had 133 schools with "performance" ratings and 41 schools in the "improvement" plan.
Denver Public Schools, the second-largest district in the state, had the most schools with "turnaround" plans, at 18, but also had the second- most "performance" plans with 85.
Read more: Colorado's new accountability system rates schools' academics - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16517802#ixzz14pDw8tJE
By Jeremy P. Meyer The Denver Post
Posted: 11/04/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
The first look at Colorado's newly developed school accountability system shows two-thirds of the state's schools are getting top grades, but 5 percent are in academic trouble.
Using data from test scores and student academic improvement, the state assigned each Colorado school to one of four "plans."
Top-performing programs landed in "performance" plans, meaning they hit all of the academic measures and need to figure out how to keep up the good work. A total of 1,292 school programs out of 2,080 statewide ranked in this category. The worst performers fell into the "turnaround" category, meaning they've got five years to make serious improvements or face closure.
The other categories are "improvement" and "priority
Extras
Search the list of the CDE's preliminary findings. improvement."
On Wednesday, the state board of education approved the designations for the schools based on student test performance, academic growth, narrowing of achievement gaps and how well students are prepared when they leave high school.
Schools have until Jan. 15 to develop annual improvement plans. In all, 230 school programs need "priority improvement" or "turnaround" plans. They will require some level of state support or oversight.
State officials have called the new School Performance Framework a national model.
"It is intended to build a communal understanding of the performance of schools and to build a planning process on how to improve schools," said Colorado Associate Commissioner Richard Wenning.
The School Performance Framework's big reveal isn't supposed to be for another month, when state officials are planning an event that will include the governor, unveil a new online tool for parents and provide every school a detailed scorecard.
The new system is born out of the 2009 Education Accountability Act.
Jefferson County, the state's largest school district, had 133 schools with "performance" ratings and 41 schools in the "improvement" plan.
Denver Public Schools, the second-largest district in the state, had the most schools with "turnaround" plans, at 18, but also had the second- most "performance" plans with 85.
Read more: Colorado's new accountability system rates schools' academics - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16517802#ixzz14pDw8tJE
Monday, November 8, 2010
AHS Weekly Update- Week of Nov. 8th, 2010
It was a big weekend for our soccer and volleyball athletes as well as for our thespians. We are inspired by their abilities to balance scholastic achievement with extracurricular success! Congrats to all of our well-rounded Ospreys!Please take a moment to review the following updates:
Waiting for Superman
Sex Ed
PAC Meeting
Thanksgiving Vacation
Waiting for Superman
The impactful documentary, Waiting for Superman, opened in Durango over the weekend. Don’t miss this powerful look at our nation’s public education system and the role that charter schools are having in reform efforts. This movie is a “must-see” for any AHS family!
The film plays at the Durango Gaslight Cinema (movie theatre downtown) November 5th-18th. Show times are 6pm and 8:15 pm daily and there’s a 1:15 and 3:30 showing on the weekends. See you at the movies!
Sex Ed
Animas High School is committed to offering our students a comprehensive and holistic secondary education. To this end, the school will be sponsoring two days of sexual education instruction after the Thanksgiving recess scheduled for 11/30 and 12/2. Students will receive an info sheet and pre-experience questionnaire that should be taken home to their parents detailing the curriculum and material to be covered during this experience. Please note that AHS has partnered with the physicians and professionals at the San Juan Basin Health Dept so that our students receive the most up to date and accurate instruction related to sexual health and behavior.
Parents- Got Questions? I’m sure you do! Please plan on bringing your comments, concerns, ideas and questions to a Parent Info/Overview Session to be held at school Thursday, Nov. 12th from 4:30 to 6pm at campus. THIS IS NOT A MANDATORY MEETING but a time for parents who feel they need to investigate/learn more about the instruction before permitting their child to participate in this valuable experience. Instructors will be on hand to meet with you and provide clarification.
The school asks parents who do not want their student to participate in sex ed to please excuse their student, in writing, in a note delivered to the AHS Main Office. We’ll let you know when the info sheet is on the way home! We are excited to offer our students this beneficial experience here at AHS.
PAC Meeting
There will be a PAC meeting next Thurs. Nov. 18th at 6pm in the AHS Commons Room. This meeting has been scheduled to allow parents to attend the sex ed meeting occurring earlier in the afternoon. Parents, this is your chance to speak to all things AHS! We look forward to seeing you there.
Thanksgiving Vacation
A friendly reminder that Animas High School will be closed November 22nd through the 26th for Thanksgiving Vacation. Campus and the Main Office will be closed for the entire week starting Friday, Nov. 19th. At 3:30 pm. Classes will resume on Monday, Nov.29th at 8:15 AM sharp!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Locals help bring film to Durango- Durango Herald 11-3-10
Locals help bring film to Durango
Documentary probes American public school system
By Emery Cowan Herald Staff Writer
“Waiting For Superman,” a new documentary about the challenges of America’s public school system, will be coming to Durango thanks to persistent efforts by local parents and teachers.
The movie will open Friday at the Storyteller Gaslight Theatre and run for two weeks.
“This is an opportunity for dialogue on an important issue that affects all of us,” said Jesse Hutt, who leads the parent advisory committee at Animas High School.
Hutt spearheaded the effort to get “Waiting For Superman” to Durango, calling Storyteller Theatres’ headquarters in New Mexico and requesting the film.
“Though Durango students don’t have to deal directly with the issues in the film, they are still very important issues nationally,” said Greg Cathcart, a member of Animas High’s board of directors who has seen the film.
The documentary, produced by “An Inconvenient Truth” director Davis Guggenheim, highlights the problems of the public education system as it follows five children and their parents trying to get into high-performing charter schools.
The film gained a national spotlight after Oprah Winfrey promoted it on her show in September. She gave five U.S. charter school networks $1 million each so they can admit more students like those in the film.
Animas High School will be setting up a booth at the theater to provide information about charter schools, Hutt said.
Renee Lee, marketing and advertising director with Storyteller Theatres, said residents’ efforts have helped get a surprising number of independent films to Durango theaters.
Lauren Delle, a writing instructor at Fort Lewis College, also called Storyteller Theatres to ask if the documentary could come to Durango. She said she had been wanting to see the movie and plans to bring her freshman seminar class to a screening next week.
ecowan@durangoherald.com
Documentary probes American public school system
By Emery Cowan Herald Staff Writer
“Waiting For Superman,” a new documentary about the challenges of America’s public school system, will be coming to Durango thanks to persistent efforts by local parents and teachers.
The movie will open Friday at the Storyteller Gaslight Theatre and run for two weeks.
“This is an opportunity for dialogue on an important issue that affects all of us,” said Jesse Hutt, who leads the parent advisory committee at Animas High School.
Hutt spearheaded the effort to get “Waiting For Superman” to Durango, calling Storyteller Theatres’ headquarters in New Mexico and requesting the film.
“Though Durango students don’t have to deal directly with the issues in the film, they are still very important issues nationally,” said Greg Cathcart, a member of Animas High’s board of directors who has seen the film.
The documentary, produced by “An Inconvenient Truth” director Davis Guggenheim, highlights the problems of the public education system as it follows five children and their parents trying to get into high-performing charter schools.
The film gained a national spotlight after Oprah Winfrey promoted it on her show in September. She gave five U.S. charter school networks $1 million each so they can admit more students like those in the film.
Animas High School will be setting up a booth at the theater to provide information about charter schools, Hutt said.
Renee Lee, marketing and advertising director with Storyteller Theatres, said residents’ efforts have helped get a surprising number of independent films to Durango theaters.
Lauren Delle, a writing instructor at Fort Lewis College, also called Storyteller Theatres to ask if the documentary could come to Durango. She said she had been wanting to see the movie and plans to bring her freshman seminar class to a screening next week.
ecowan@durangoherald.com
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Ospreys Finish Strong!
India Waller is quick like a bunny at states this past weekendWhat a terrific State Championship Weekend for the AHS Mountain Bike Team! Read the summary and results here:
http://mim.io/aaba6?fe=1&pact=2121421029
Monday, November 1, 2010
From the World Beyond Durango....
Although we sometimes feel like an island down here in the southwestern corner of our great state, it's important to know that Durango is in the spotlight! Below are a few recent op-ed pieces that have run around the state concerning Durango's proposed Mill Levy- measure 3A:
Vinny Badolato, VP of Public Affairs for the Colorado League of Charter Schools, shares his thoughts on Durango's proposed Mill Levy. Read it here:
http://blog.ednewscolorado.org/2010/10/20/hey-durango-charters-deserve-tax-dollars-too/comment-page-1/
Doug Hering of the Colorado Springs Examiner weighs in here:
http://www.examiner.com/charter-schools-in-colorado-springs/badolato-questions-durango-s-decision-to-exclude-charters-from-mill-levy
Vinny Badolato, VP of Public Affairs for the Colorado League of Charter Schools, shares his thoughts on Durango's proposed Mill Levy. Read it here:
http://blog.ednewscolorado.org/2010/10/20/hey-durango-charters-deserve-tax-dollars-too/comment-page-1/
Doug Hering of the Colorado Springs Examiner weighs in here:
http://www.examiner.com/charter-schools-in-colorado-springs/badolato-questions-durango-s-decision-to-exclude-charters-from-mill-levy
AHS Weekly Update- Week of Nov. 1st, 2010
Animas Blood DriveVote
Winter Sports at Durango High School
Admin Office Hours
Message from the AHOS
Project Week 2011
Waiting for Superman
Animas Blood Drive
Donate the gift of life at Animas High School today! Students from Mrs. Dunning ‘s Biology classes have organized a Blood Drive which will take place at campus today from 1:30 to 4:30 pm in the Commons Room. Students who are 16 yrs. old or older may give blood with a completed release signed by their parents. We welcome any adult who would like to donate blood to join us on campus this afternoon.
Vote
A friendly reminder that Tuesday, November 2nd is Election Day! Make sure to have your voice heard by remembering to vote on Tuesday!
Winter Sports at Durango High School
Winter Sports, which include Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Girls Swimming, and Wrestling officially begin on Friday, November 12. Cheerleading and Dance will continue through the winter season as well. A completed Athletic Form must be on file in the DHS Activity Director's office for every student participating in interscholastic athletic competition. No student will be permitted to participate in any athletic program without the forms on file by the first day of practice. Please return these forms to the Athletic Office and get your red card BEFORE November 12. Participation fees of $50 must be paid prior to receiving a red card. Contact Athletic Director Sheldon Keresey in case of financial hardship. Animas students needing assistance with extracurricular activities and sports should address their questions/concerns to Assistant Head of School Jake Lauer.
Admin Office Hours
A reminder that upcoming Head of School Office Hours are scheduled for Nov. 8th.
Upcoming Assistant Head of School Office Hours are scheduled for Nov. 4th and 11th.
To reserve time with either Michael or Jake, please contact Maureen at the Main Office to set up an appointment. (970) AHS-AHS4
Message from the AHOS
An important message from Animas High School’s Assistant Head of School was distributed to students and families last week. Please make sure you’ve seen the letter from Jake. Missed it? Read it here: http://animashighschool.blogspot.com/2010/10/message-from-ahs-assistant-head-of.html
Project Week 2011
Students took their first shot at sign-ups for our 2011 Project Week Trips last Thursday, Oct. 28th. Faculty will be reviewing the sign-up results on Monday and synching back up with students this week. Students/Families should expect “project specific” meetings as we work diligently to solidify rosters and trip logistics prior to the holiday recess. Stay tuned for more!
Waiting for Superman
Based upon huge demand from our local community, the new film Waiting for Superman is coming to Durango!
Film Overview:
Documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim explores the tragic ways in which the American public education system is failing our nation's children, and explores the roles that charter schools and education reformers could play in offering hope for the future. We see the statistics every day -- students dropping out, science and math scores falling, and schools closing due to lack of funding. What we don't see are the names and faces of the children whose entire futures are at stake due to our own inability to enact change. There was a time when the American public education system was a model admired by the entire world. Today other countries are surpassing us in every respect, and the slogan "No Child Left Behind" has become a cynical punch line. Bianca, Emily, Anthony, Daisy, and Francisco are five students who deserve better. By investigating how the current system is actually obstructing their education instead of bolstering it, Guggenheim opens the door to considering possible options for transformation and improvement.
The film is scheduled to run from Nov. 5th through the 18th and we’re excited to sponsor an information table at each showing. Stay tuned for future emails announcing exact show times. We’ll see you at the show!
The Wait is Almost Over!
AHS is excited to announce the film WAITING FOR SUPERMAN will be showing in town from November 5th though Nov. 18th, 2010. Stay tuned for exact show times!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)