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Raptor Report

August 6, 2025

from AMHS Partners in Education (PIE)

Welcome to the Class of 2029!

It was great to welcome the Class of 2029 to Academic Magnet through the Summer Scholars Program that was held July 28-30. Our new raptors enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about AMHS while getting to know classmates, faculty, staff, and a number of student leaders. Check out some great photos from the week on the AMHS Facebook page at this link and this link.

Join PIE for the New School Year!

Welcome (Back), Raptor Families! AMHS PIE is looking forward to a fantastic year and we are already busy!

Please support your PTSO for the 2025-2026 school year! You can join PIE or RENEW your membership or sponsorship HERE.

Did You Know...?

• PIE pays for the AMHS JSTOR subscription that gives our students access to a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources for research? 
• PIE volunteers operate the AMHS Spirit Store - and inventory has been restocked!

Familiar with Constant Contact or a similar program -- or willing to learn? Volunteer your time to help produce this weekly email!

Interested? Email here.

Parents should have started receiving weekly emails from Principal Perlmutter starting on July 18. If you missed them, you can find them on the website at this link.

Here are links to the communications so far:

• July 18, 2025: Welcome Back Letter I
• July 25, 2025: Welcome Back Letter II
• August 1, 2025: Welcome Back Letter III
• AM/SOA Bus Stops 2025-2026

School Bus Information- As a county-wide magnet school, AMHS offers centralized, parent-assisted bus transportation service. Bus stops are within five miles of a student’s primary residence. View this document to see the routes, bus stops and times in a PDF. The CCSD Transportation Page has updated information as well as links to the bus stop look-up tool and the school bus tracking app that many of our families find useful. The Firstview Classic app was updated to Firstview 1.0 so if you currently have the Firstview Classic app on your phone from last year, you should delete it and download the new one. This year’s bus code is N6G3F. Principal Perlmutter noted in his Letter #3 last week that the school will send a school bus one-pager THIS week. Be on the lookout!

Find the updated CCSD Academic Calendar for the 2025-26 year at this link

AMHS Fall Sports Are Getting Underway

The first of two planned Media Days for Senior Fall Athletes was held on Tuesday, August 5 in the school gym. If your Senior was unable to make that day, come to the gym on Monday, August 11.

Important Sports Information

Women's & Men's Swim Time Trials: August 6 (rising juniors and seniors), 4:00-6:00 pm, August 7 (rising freshmen and sophomores), 4:00-6:00 pm, & August 8 (rising 7th & 8th graders at SOA), 4:00-6:00 PM

Location: North Charleston Sports Complex

Contact: jacqueline_healy@charleston.k12.sc.us

Women's Tennis: August 4-8, 7:30-9:30 am 

Location:Magnet tennis courts

Contact: boastbucs@sbcglobal.net

Women's Volleyball: July 31 & August 1, 9:00-11:00 am & August 4, 3:30-5:30 pm

Location:Magnet gym

Contact: jennifer_koll@charleston.k12.sc.us

Men's Volleyball: July 31 & August 1, 5:00-7:00 pm

LocationLocation:Magnet gym

Contact: sayyon_lee@charleston.k12.sc.us

Information related to all things needed to try out can be found under Athletic Forms at amhsraptorsathletics.com

Come Learn About the AMHS Booster Club!

Back-to-School Information from the Charleston County School District

Transportation FAQ

Visit our Transportation-at-a-glance webpage (https://www.ccsdschools.com/transportationfaq) for answers to your most frequently asked questions about bus transportation.

Back-to-School Hotline

Our annual Back to School Hotline opens on Thursday, August 7, and will be available weekdays through Wednesday, August 13, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call (843) 444-5417 to speak with CCSD staff members who are ready to assist with your back-to-school questions.

Join the Official CCSD Parents Facebook Page

Connect with other families, ask questions, and receive real-time, accurate information directly from district leaders. Click here to join.

Additional Back-to-School Resources

For more helpful tools and information, visit: https://www.ccsdschools.com/familyresources.

Don't Forget to Complete Summer Assignments!

We hope all of our Raptors had a wonderful summer and teachers and staff look forward to welcoming each of them back to campus for the new school year. Make sure all Summer Assignments are complete before the first day! Find them on the school website at this link.

Welcome to Academic Magnet High School!

AMHS is excited to welcome the following faculty and Athletic Department members, who will be joining us in the 2025-2026 school year. To read the press release associated with each new member, please click on the links below:

• Ms. Patricia Scully, Honors Geometry and Honors Algebra II teacher
• Ms. Stacy Patrick, French teacher
• Coach Bethany Smith, Women's Basketball Program Leader

Leslie Pridgen

School Counselor

Grades 9 -12 Last Names: A - HOL

Leslie_Pridgen@charleston.k12.sc.us

Gabrielle Krupilis

School Counselor

Grades 9 -12 Last Names: HOM - SI

Gabrielle_Krupilis@charleston.k12.sc.us

Monica Vallejo 

Director of School Counseling  

Grades 9 -12 Last Names: SK - Z

Monica_Vallejo@charleston.k12.sc.us

Please contact your counselor if you have any questions about your schedule or what seniors need to do to prepare for the new year (an email was sent to all senior families about Xello, the Common App, and more!).

Need to request a change? 25-26 Schedule Change Requests

SENIORS: Click here for

College Planning Guidance

• Click here for past free college planning workshops. Example: Affording College: Accessing free money, scholarships, and paying for higher education 

Colleges often visit AMHS or the Charleston area. Keep up to date by visiting this document.



Register through Naviance to show demonstrated interest. These sessions are open for all grades. 

Click here for Resume Tips!

Click here for Interview Tips!

Class of 2026

Class of 2027

Class of 2028

Class of 2029

AMHS enjoys the support of three parent-led, community supported groups and an active SIC group. You can read about each group's mission and get updates below or find out more under the Parent Tab on the School Website.

2025-2026 Officers

Kate Williams - President '25 P and 28' P

Meredith White - Vice President '27 P

Kimberly Steele - Secretary '26 P and 28' P

Caroline Helems - Treasurer '27 P

Alicia Denzel - Member-at-Large '27 P

Questions? Email amhspie@gmail.com.

Learn more about the AMHS School Improvement Council (SIC) here. 

The SIC Report for 2024-2025 is now available and has been posted on the AMHS website.

Read it at this link.

Help spread the good news! Got scoop on a current or former Raptor making their mark in the world? Share it with the Raptor Report here.

Raptor Researchers Attend Math Research Experience

We’re proud to celebrate our Academic Magnet High School students who recently completed and presented their work at the Math Research Experience for Lowcountry High School Students and Teachers, hosted by the Department of Mathematical Sciences at The Citadel! These students explored advanced mathematical concepts, collaborated with peers and faculty, and showcased their research with confidence and clarity. Their hard work and curiosity embody the spirit of academic excellence! 

From left to right:

AMHS Physics Teacher Maria Desbrow, Students: Olivia Elko, Vanessa Nguyen, Nora Richards, Whitney Gwisc, Aayush Bansod, Gabriella Perrone, Duru Bayram, AMHS Mathematics Teachers Patrick Rappa, Carrie Renes (Not pictured: AMHS Student Sameen Basunia)

LINKS: Website | Flyer

Interested in diving deeper into mathematics next summer? This incredible research camp is a must for students passionate about math, problem-solving, and discovery. Stay tuned for next year’s application details! 

Senior Raptors Complete Eight-Week Internship in Washington, D.C.

Congratulations to seniors Daniel Huang and Mateus Guimaraes for their acceptance and participation in the Bank of America's prestigious Student Leaders Program this summer! Daniel and Mateus took part in an 8-week internship at a local non-profit and then attended the weeklong Student Leaders Summit in Washington DC as the South Carolina representatives. They joined an elite group of 300 other students from all over the nation.

In addition to their work with the local non-profit, Daniel and Mateus had the opportunity to speak with members of congress like Tim Scott about issues in the Charleston community. Way to represent, Daniel and Mateus!

Senior Raptors Represent SC at 2025 US Stockholm Junior Water Prize National Competition

Congratulations to seniors Vedant Parmer and Avraham Lieberman who represented South Carolina at this summer's 2025 U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize National Competition in St. Louis!

Vedant and Avraham developed a hybrid-powered water filtration system that uses mineral filtration, UV sterilization, and solar energy to purify contaminated water with the aim of delivering a low-cost, portable, and sustainable solution to water contamination - especially for underserved communities during natural disasters. At nationals, Vedant presented the team's work, showcasing how their system significantly reduced turbidity, bacteria, and chemical pollutants in various water sources.

Fall Sports Schedules!

Contact information for all of our head varsity coaches is available here. Follow the Raptor Athletics Instagram and Facebook page for updates and/or changes. View the Raptor Athletics Website at this link.

Athletic Director: Raymond Knauer or 843.746.6376

Assistant Athletic Director: Stevie Jones

Coach contact information is here.

Guidance Counselors will regularly post opportunities for service on students' Canvas page and those are also sometimes shared on AMHS social media accounts. Students are encouraged to find opportunities for service in their own communities. Additional opportunties that are shared with the Raptor Report are listed below.

Have a service opportunity to share? Email raptorreporteditor@gmail.com.

2024, No. 7

2023, No. 8

2020-22, No. 2

2019, No. 1