Greetings Osprey Community,

Brianna and Kohler's Week of Wellness green smoothie

Clothing Engineering group models their handcrafted thermodynamic jackets

Osprey Week these past five days has had students doing, being, creating, refining, making, laughing and learning.  It's unlike any other week of the year and we love seeing Ospreys try out new activities, dive into their passions and forge new relationships with teachers and peers as they explore side by side.  This week, Ospreys have made onesies, smoothies,

Bekah working in the Manna Soup Kitchen garden with the Creating a Better Community group

perfect turns, musical recordings, short films, a freshly built Bayfield townhouse, board games and new friends.  They've paddled, peddled, danced, gardened, skied, swam, sewn, served and sung.  They've learned about hunter safety, taxidermy, thermodynamics, clothing engineering, reading rivers, vegan cooking, clay construction, southwestern art and yoga.  It's a diverse set of experiences and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the nest on Monday to hear all the stories.  Be sure to check out the AHS Facebook page to see more photos from everyone's Osprey Week adventures.

biking on Dump Jumps with the Local Trails group

Sean and his new table top game "Sean!"

Next week, 9th through 11th graders dive into preparation for Transitional Presentations of Learning, or tPOLs as we call them around here.  Students will reflect on their year of learning and growth and create presentations to share with a panel on May 26th through 28th.  Successfully completing the tPOL is an Animas requirement for continuing on to the next grade and we deeply value the assessment and learning that emerge from this unique process. Time and again, we hear our alum express appreciation for the experience they gained at Animas in public speaking and presentation, and we feel the act of critically reflecting on one's progress is invaluable in the learning process for our students.

ready to raft the Dolores River

Becca back country skiing up by Opus Hut

Friday is  Summer Advisory Olympics for our 9th through 11th graders.  All students need to meet at Santa Rita Park by 8:25--there will not be transportation from campus to the park, so please make appropriate arrangements.  We'll celebrate the year with a series of competitions, games and silliness.   The day ends early, with release at 12:30 from Santa Rita Park.  Again, families must please arrange for transportation, and all students should plan to pack a snack, water, sunscreen (we hope!) and a bag lunch.

skaters chilling at Great Sand Dunes

Gavin and Lacey show off their newly perfected dip

The seniors have an extraordinary week ahead, with Senior Presentations continuing Monday through Thursday.  Community members, students, parents and future Ospreys are all encouraged to attend Senior Presentations; see the complete detailed schedule here.  Tuesday evening from 5:00 to 6:30pm, we welcome the community to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2015 by joining us at Sorrel Sky Gallery in downtown

building a townhouse in Bayfield with Habitat for Humanity

Nicholas helping with trail work at Mesa Verde

Durango for the Senior Celebration.  this is an opportunity to speak with the soon-to-be graduates and to thank all in our community for their support in the seniors' educational journey.  We'll have several AHS Alumni on hand, serving hors d'oeuvres.  Thursday, the teachers and seniors will gather in the AHS Commons for the Senior Supper from 6:30 to 8:00pm, where we'll have our final opportunity to appreciate one another before the big day.   Graduation is at 4:00pm on Friday at the Community Concert Hall, and the seniors will meet that morning at 8:15 at the Concert Hall for a class photo and graduation rehearsal.  General admission tickets for graduation will be available at the door, beginning at 3:15.  Please join us as we celebrate and send our seniors off to college and the world beyond Animas.

Thanks for all you do to help the Ospreys soar!