AHS Weekly Update- Week of October 8th, 2012

Please take a moment to review these important updates:

Testing Update

College & Career Counseling Update

The Animas Quill

A Day for Jake

Upcoming Events

No School This Friday

Testing Update

Upcoming PSAT Testing

ATTENTION Sophomore & Junior Parents and Students!

Important details about taking the upcoming PSAT/NMSQT

Date:  Saturday, October 20th

Time: 8am to 11am

Cost: $20/student

Location:  Animas High School 

For more information about the PSAT/NMSQT please visit the following webpages: 

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

http://testinganimashigh.blogspot.com/p/sat-and-psatnmsqt.html

If you haven't received a confirmation from me that your student is signed up for the test already, then please email me at kristi.good@animashighschool.com to reserve your student's spot ASAP.      

Paying for the test:

•   please pay for the test by Friday, October 12th

•   you can pay by check or cash

•   make checks payable to Animas High School

•   be sure to include the student's name and an email contact with your payment

•   payments can be dropped off at the main office during school hours OR mailed to Animas High School, attn: Kristi Good 

Once your payment has been received, I will send you an important email about the day of the test!

College & Career Counseling Update

Above: The AHS Team in Denver for NACAC National Conference

It’s been a busy two weeks for the AHS College Counseling Dept. Our entire counseling department represented Animas High School at last week’s National Association for College Admission Counselor’s 68^th Annual National Conference. The AHS team joined more than 5,500 secondary and postsecondary college admission counseling professionals to exchange ideas, network and promote Animas High School students. AHS Senior counselor Elaine Ehlers is on the road this week, visiting a number of colleges in the Mid-west. SENIORS, be sure to stop by the College Counseling Office to sign up for future sessions with our counselors.

 There will be a 9th and 10th grade AHS College Night on October 11^th at 5:00 p.m. at Animas High School. Judy Rosenthal, AHS College Counseling Department, will present an overview of the high school experience, terminology related to the college admissions process, and a timeline for college admissions. Bring your questions!

Moving forward, please be sure to follow all the action and important updates from the Animas High School College & Career Counseling Department here:http://ahscollegecareerdepartment.webs.com/

The Animas Quill

The Animas Quill, Animas High School’s student newspaper has published the first issue of the 2012-13 school year. See our students’ excellent publication here: http://www.theanimasquill.com/issue-archive.html

New for 12-13, a weekly news video. Watch The Friday Show 10/5/12 here: http://www.theanimasquill.com/the-friday-show.html

Join the Animas Quill on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Animas-Quill/330413723698645

A Day for Jake

Come Support our Assistant Head of School!

AHS Faculty have arranged a series of fundraiser's throughout the month of October in order to support Jake Lauer, Animas High School's Assistant Head of School.

Jake experienced a near fatal climbing accident on Labor Day and we all miss him and his huge smile. He faces a difficult and long-term recovery. Come help Jake by supporting the following business's next week and every week through out October. The proceeds from these business’s sales will be placed in an account for Jake and his wife to help pay for continued health care coverage and an ever-growing mountain of medical bills. Come support a cornerstone and passionate member of our community! All you have to do is eat and shop!

Zia Taqueria: Monday, October 8th - All Day - 10% of all sales to Jake

Carvers Brewing: Thursday October 11th - 5pm - 11pm - 10% of all sales to Jake

Maria's Bookshop: Monday, October 8th and Thursday, October 11th - 7pm - 9pm - 10% of all sales to Jake

There will be two new restaurants every week so stay tuned before hand to see where you can go to support Jake!

For questions or comments contact Humanities/ESS teacher Nick Manning at: nick.manning@animashighschool.com

*** HOS Note- We’re happy to report that Jake is out of the hospital and recovering at home with his family in Fort Collins. Everyday brings new challenges and progress with his healing. Jake reports he’s doing well, staying positive and sends his love and best wishes to our entire community! We're looking forward to seeing everyone at these upcoming fundraising events. Thanks for all the encouragement and support! ***

Upcoming Events

The next Animas High School PAC Meeting will take place on Monday, October 8, 2012 at Durango Doughworks

9^th/10^th Grade College Night will take place 5 to 6:30 pm on October 11, 2012 at campus

The next meeting of the Animas High School Board of Directors will take place Monday, October 15^th, at 5 pm at Animas High School,3206 North Main, Durango, CO.

9^th Grade Humanities students will present their "Socialization and Identity" Project Exhibition at the La Plata fairgrounds on Wednesday Oct. 17th from 5-7 pm.

PSAT/NMSQT will be offered at Animas High School on Saturday, October 20^th from 8am to 11am. See TESTING UPDATE section for more details.

Isabelle Tonso (AHS 2013) and Biology teacher Colleen Dunning are coordinating the 3rd Annual Blood Drive at Animas High. It will be held in the Animas Lodge on October 24 from 1:30 to 5:00 pm. You must be 16 to donate, and sign-ups and guidelines are in front of the 12th grade Humanities room. For more information on the Blood Drive talk to Isabelle Tonso or Colleen Dunning.

11^th Grade Humanities Exhibition will take place on Thursday, October 25^th from 6-8pm at multiple Durango Joes locations. (One class will be at the Town Plaza/El Camino location, One class will be at the College Drive location- start times will be staggered by a half hour- more details to come.

SEMESTER ONE STUDENT-LED CONFERENCES will take place November 1st from 4:00 to 6:30 pm at Animas High School. Look for more details in future weekly updates.

10th Grade Humanities Exhibition will take place on Wednesday, November 7^th from 5-6:30 pm at the Durango Public Library. Stay tuned for more details.

No School This Friday

A reminder that there is No School this Friday, October 8^th. Animas High School staff will be participating in their second Professional Development Day of the 2012-13 school year.

https://www.facebook.com/AnimasHighSchool

Animas High School Values:
Rigorous academics, where all students are prepared for college success
Culture of excellence, where students are held to high expectations
Strong faculty-student relationships, where students are well known 
Engaging learning, where students see the relevance of their education
 

Charter or District? Whatever Works 

Posted: 09/26/2012 1:30 pm

By Carl Finer

I am a teacher who is sick of being caught in the middle of the debate between district and charter schools.
All eight years of my teaching career have landed me within a 25-block radius of the same South Los Angeles neighborhood. It's a neighborhood I am deeply invested in. As a teacher, I've pushed English language learners towards mainstream English classes. I've challenged students to write about their personal experiences and seen them earn merits in the state Scholastic writing contest. I've trained over 100 kids to finish marathons, and led them on trips to San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
But last year, after seven years in traditional LAUSD middle schools, I switched to a local charter school.
Why? It's not that I didn't care about my students and the community I worked in: I did, and still do. I care about my profession, too. But I worked at a school that did not serve any of us well, and was given the opportunity to be a part of a school that just might work for all of us. So I jumped at that chance.
I didn't care what kind of school it was or who ran it. I cared about what went on inside.
A recent report, "The Irreplaceables," released by the teacher quality nonprofit TNTP, outlines the critical reasons good teachers leave their schools. The report shows that high-performing teachers are likely to be driven away from schools with weak instructional cultures and working conditions, places where mutual trust and respect are lacking and where low performers are treated the same as high performers.
Everything that the report identifies rings true for me. In my first few years at my old school, the school wasn't physically or emotionally safe. A student of mine, while in the classroom across the hall, got his arm slit with a razor blade. I spent nearly every passing period breaking up fights. One colleague called his English learners stupid for not knowing English, and another let her students play Guitar Hero for an entire week. These teachers were accorded exactly the same treatment by the administration as their colleagues who worked hard every day to provide students with challenging, positive learning experiences.
Still, I tried to make it work. I worked hard, got better at my craft, did extra. I attended conferences, joined professional organizations, even went back to school and wrote my thesis on teacher collaboration. But it didn't matter. Next period, or next year, there was a good chance my students would go to a class where they weren't learning anything.
After three years, a new principal came on board, who pushed to improve our school culture. But even her well-intentioned efforts weren't enough, and eventually, I began considering a move elsewhere. I was introduced to the leader of a new neighborhood charter school, found we shared a vision, and applied for a teaching position. In the midst of the application process, I learned that my current school was going to be "reconstituted" by the district, and we were all made to reapply for our jobs.
Even through the chaos of that unsettled time, against the odds my students had shown above-average academic growth, and I'd been the school's nominee for USC's Teacher of the Year award. But after a ten-minute interview with a parent, outside teacher, and outside administrator that gave no consideration to data or classroom observations, I was not rehired. I never received an explanation.
It was fortuitous that I had already begun the process of finding a school that was a better fit for me. Today, I work in a school that is putting into practice TNTP's recommendations for retaining effective teachers. My school creates high expectations for students and teachers alike, and provides opportunities for growth and leadership. The administration has the skills and ability to foster a rigorous instructional vision and positive school culture where everyone feels genuinely valued and respected.
It's a school that makes me feel proud to be a teacher. We serve our students well. Teachers collaborate, review data and make changes together in response to students' needs. I have a chance to grow into leadership roles based on my interests and strengths. Besides continuing to coach running, I serve as Department Chair and on organization-wide advisory panels on curriculum, teacher development and evaluation.
The fact that my move was from a district school to a charter school was not a major consideration. For me, the move was about which neighborhood school was treating teachers and students with the respect we all deserved. But since I've made the switch, I have frequently been challenged for choosing to leave a traditional school to join a charter. I've been alternately praised for being part of a "reform movement" and called out for joining a system that has been critiqued for being selective in student enrollment and for fragmenting public education.
But I am not beholden to a particular type of school governance. I don't claim to represent charter or traditional schools. I have seen successful and failing schools under both models. And I don't believe the traits of a successful school are the exclusive province of one kind of school or another.
When LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy gave the keynote address at my charter organization's annual full staff convening, he told us, "People who have this construction of charters versus public have really no idea about what it takes to educate every single solitary youth in Los Angeles. It's about a single team of many partners... No one teacher, no one school, meets every youth's needs... There is no difference in the mission whatsoever."
The students in my neighborhood and in yours, all of them, deserve functional, adaptive schools full of strong, caring teachers that meet their needs. They don't care what kind of school it is, they just care that it works for them. We need more opportunities for collaboration across school models, to learn from each other, to remember our shared public mission, and to improve our communities together.

Carl Finer teaches middle school English in Los Angeles. He is a member of the Teach Plus Network.

Follow Teach Plus on Twitter: www.twitter.com/teachplus 

READ THIS ARTICLE AS POSTED ON THE HUFFINGTON POST:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/teach-plus/teacher-collaboration-_b_1914045.html?view=print&comm_ref=false
 

Pro-reform movie hits Colorado theaters

EdNews Colorado

Part of the PEBC Network: PEBC.org | BoettcherTeachers.org | EdNewsColorado.org

Pro-reform movie hits Colorado theaters

Written by Julie Poppen on Sep 28th, 2012. | Copyright © EdNewsColorado.org

WESTMINSTER – About 100 people showed up Thursday evening for a Daniels Fund-sponsored premier of a school reform flick with a Hollywood twist, “Won’t Back Down.”

Mike Tomasulo, a former Daniels Scholar, checks in movie-goers and shares pamphlets entitled “Parents & Teachers Together: A Pocket Guide to Doing What’s Best for Kids in School.”

While the movie has been slammed by some critics as manipulative and anti-union, people who came to the showing at the AMC Westminster Prom 24, one of nine pre- premier locations in the metro area, Colorado Springs and New Mexico, nevertheless said the film showed some truth. The film opens today across Colorado.

The movie depicts how two parents – actors Maggie Gyllenhaal as a working-class single mom to a bullied daughter with dyslexia and Viola Davis as a burned-out teacher – overcome numerous obstacles to recreate Adams Elementary School in a Midwestern city through the use of a so-called “parent trigger” law.

Those obstacles include a zealous teachers union, run by a cold-hearted woman played by Holly Hunter, who later sees the light, quits and decides to teach; an uncaring teacher who lashes out at Gyllenhaal’s character by not allowing her daughter to use the bathroom so the third-grader wets her pants; and a principal who retaliates against Davis’ character by putting her on leave for fudging attendance sheets – something the front office has long expected teachers to do.

 

Critical reviews

• ‘Won’t Back Down’ doesn’t let up on unions, Los Angeles Times
• School board tale fails to make grade, Associated Press
• Why this education movie matters, Time

The film is a production of Walden Media, which is owned by Philip Anschutz, Colorado’s conservative billionaire entrepreneur.

Shelly Rankin, who lives in Westminster and whose children attend high school in Adams 50, said she is working on her children’s school parent council to encourage more kids to get involved in activities. Rankin, a part-time library technician and classroom assistant in Denver Public Schools, said she “loved” the film.

“It was pretty realistic,” said Rankin, who said she has been involved with charters and turnaround schools. “Whenever you bring change into a school, there are always people who won’t get on board and who can’t see past themselves.”

In a scene reminiscent of recent school board meetings in Douglas County, union members in the film showed up in red T-shirts while parents and teachers interested in creating a new school wore green
“Parentrooper” T-shirts. Similar color wars have unfolded south of Denver over the debate about the teachers union and vouchers.

Priscilla Gardea, an admissions counselor at Adams State University in Alamosa, said she found the film interesting. She devotes much of her time to handling remediation for college students unprepared by high school to do the work.

“Regardless of the politics, the system does need to be improved,” she said.
Chris Johnston, executive director of Westgate Community School, a Thornton charter school now serving 393 kindergarteners through ninth-graders, said a few of the scenes resonated with her and another parent who helped found Westgate.

“We had the support we needed in the right places,” Johnston said. “No school is good for all kids. Having many choices is a good thing.”

Daniels Fund spokesman Peter Droege said 1,874 people registered to see the film, and 500 received vouchers from the Daniels Fund to see the film at a later date. Droege said the organization’s founder, Bill Daniels, was deeply committed to school reform.

“He was deeply concerned about the quality of education in our community and across the nation and felt that competition and choice would help improve public education,” Droege said. “While Colorado has taken a number of important steps to improve public education in the past several years, many children still do not have access to high quality education.

“Parents deserve the opportunity to make the best choice for their children.”

Disclosure: The Daniels Fund is a funder of Education News Colorado.

Categories: K-12 News, Latest News, News, Slider
Tags:

1. Mary Nanninga says:

   September 30, 2012 at 8:43 am

   Here are some reviews for this movie:
   http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2012/09/critics-pan-wont-back-down-as-badly.html
   

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AHS Weekly Update- Week of October 1st, 2012

Please take a moment to review the following updates:

Testing Update

College & Career Counseling Update

Power Lunches Continue

HOS TALK

Durango Connect Follow-up

 Upcoming Events

Testing Update

Spring 2012 TCAP Results

Student score reports from the 2012 TCAP are in! If you would like a copy of your student’s TCAP scores, please email AHS Registrar at Maureen.truax@animashighschool Parents are also welcome to visit us during normal business hours and we’d be happy to provide you your student’s results. Questions about TCAP results, please contact out Testing and Assessment Coordinator at Kristi.good@animashighschool.com

Upcoming PSAT Testing

ATTENTION Sophomore & Junior Parents and Students!

Important details about taking the upcoming PSAT/NMSQT

Date:  Saturday, October 20th

Time: 8am to 11am

Cost: $20/student

Location:  Animas High School 

For more information about the PSAT/NMSQT please visit the following webpages: 

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

http://testinganimashigh.blogspot.com/p/sat-and-psatnmsqt.html

If you haven't received a confirmation from me that your student is signed up for the test already, then please email me at kristi.good@animashighschool.com to reserve your student's spot ASAP.      

Paying for the test:

•   please pay for the test by Friday, October 12th

•   you can pay by check or cash

•   make checks payable to Animas High School

•   be sure to include the student's name and an email contact with your payment

•   payments can be dropped off at the main office during school hours OR mailed to Animas High School, attn: Kristi Good 

Once your payment has been received, I will send you an important email about the day of the test!

College & Career Counseling Update

There will be a 9th and 10th grade AHS College Night on October 11^th at 5:00 p.m. at Animas High School. Judy Rosenthal, AHS College Counseling Department, will present an overview of the high school experience, terminology related to the college admissions process, and a timeline for college admissions. Bring your questions!

Moving forward, please be sure to follow all the action and important updates from the Animas High School College & Career Counseling Department here:

http://ahscollegecareerdepartment.webs.com/

Power Lunches Continue

Who: Travis Price, FAIA, is a multiple award-winning architect, philosopher, and innovator in environmentally sound architecture. He lives, teaches, and practices in Washington, D.C. when not somewhere exploring the emerging world.

When: Monday, October 1st Where: 12:35- 1:10 in Matt’s Humanities Room

What: Travis Price will discuss his new book that depicts sixteen design/build interventions that transport readers to the far reaches of the world including Machu Picchu, Nepal, and the Amazon.

Questions: Contact Rachael Sands at 259-3013. 

HOS TALK

We’re always impressed with our Osprey’s film making abilities. However, September’s HOS Talk is really something special. Fantastic job Cooper and Zach!

Watch the September’s HOS TALK here:

PART ONE: http://youtu.be/dVQv4b2yQjQ

PART TWO: http://youtu.be/LU0KmTcHA2c

Durango Connect Follow-up

MUCHAS GRACIAS to everyone for making Durango Connect happen. More than 9,000 people gathered on the Animas River Trail to connect our community.

Check out the official news release and a sneak preview of our documentary film at www.DurangoConnect.com. The Durango Herald also created an amazing video that you can see at www.DurangoHerald.com.

A huge THANK YOU to all of our teachers and students who helped “connect” Durango and participated in this special event!

Upcoming Events

The next Animas High School PAC Meeting will take place on Monday, October 8, 2012 at Durango Doughworks

9^th/10^th Grade College Night will take place 5 to 6:30 pm on October 11, 2012 at campus

The next meeting of the Animas High School Board of Directors will take place Monday, October 15^th, at 5 pm at Animas High School,3206 North Main, Durango, CO.

AHS Weekly Update- Week of September 24th, 2012

We’ll be sending home another important data form for the Colorado Department of Education with students this Wednesday. Thank you for your attention and diligence in completing the plethora of back to school paperwork being sent home!

Students/families who have not returned their behavioral expectations contract, student handbook signature page and student driver info form will be receiving a follow up call from AHS this week. Please get these important documents returned to the school ASAP!

Please take a moment to review the following updates:

Enrollment Continues

Campus & Main Office Hours

Faculty Digital Portfolios

Faculty Contacts & Office Hours

College & Career Counseling Update

Congrats AHS!

2012-13 Power Lunches Continue

Upcoming Events

Enrollment Continues

Enrollment for the 2012-13 school year continues at Animas High School. Students and families looking to enroll at AHS should visit www.animashighschool.com and complete an online intent to enroll form.  Enrollment will remain open until October 1 or until the school has reached capacity for 2012-13.   

AHS is currently accepting enrollments for a limited number of openings in our 9^th, 10th and 11th grade classes.

Don't Delay- Register Today! For more information, call 247-2474 or contact mainoffice@animashighschool.com

Campus & Main Office Hours

A reminder that our campus is open to students from 7am to 4 pm Monday through Friday. Students are allowed to stay in the building after 4pm ONLY IF THEY ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH STAFF. Animas High School’s Main Office is open from 8 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday. We look forward to serving you during our daily business hours. Questions? Contact 970-247-2474

Faculty Digital Portfolios

Please make sure you’re connected to your student’s teachers! All AHS Faculty maintain websites so that students and their families can follow along online. From faculty syllabi to daily homework assignments, Digital Portfolios are there for you to stay current in real time. Find our teachers’ DP Links here:

http://animashighschool.blogspot.com/2012/09/faculty-digital-portfolio-links-2012-13.html

Faculty Contacts & Office Hours

AHS teaching faculty make themselves available to our students multiple times throughout the school week. Please make sure you know when your student’s teachers hold office hours and extra help sessions. Please encourage your students to seek faculty out during these times! See the schedule here:

http://animashighschool.blogspot.com/2012/09/ahs-faculty-office-hours-2012-2013.html

Faculty Bios and Contact Info here:

http://www.animashighschool.com/HOS/faculty.php

College & Career Counseling Update

Moving forward, please be sure to follow all the action and important updates from the Animas High School College & Career Counseling Department here:

http://ahscollegecareerdepartment.webs.com/

Congrats AHS!

Did you see last week’s Durango Telegraph? A great article on Animas High School can be found here: http://www.durangotelegraph.com/index.cfm/news/coming-of-age/

2012-13 Power Lunches Continue

Who: Durango Rotary

When & Where: Tuesday, Sept. 25th           @ 11:30- 12:00 in Nick’s Humanities Room & 12:35- 1:10 in Matt’s Humanities Room

What: Interested in organizing and participating in an AHS Interact club? Be part of the excitement of Interact’s global youth network dedicated to community and international service. With clubs in over 120 countries and geographical areas, Interact is truly an international phenomenon! Also, learn about how to apply for Rotary’s Youth Exchange program.

Questions: Contact Rachael Sands at 259-3013

Upcoming Events

AHS students and staff will participate in the Durango Connect Event, Thursday, September 27^th, 2012. From 10 to 11:00 AM

There will be No School on Friday, September 28.  It is a professional development day.

The next meeting of the Animas High School Board of Directors will take place Monday, October 1^st, at 5 pm at Animas High School, 3206 North Main, Durango, CO.

The next Animas High School PAC Meeting will take place on Monday, October 8, 2012 at Durango Doughworks

9^th/10^th Grade College Night will take place 5 to 6:30 pm on October 11, 2012 at campus

https://www.facebook.com/AnimasHighSchool