Greetings Osprey Community,

Art teacher Britt Gordon and Exceptional Student Services director Carlin Mallman show their Osprey pride during staff orientation at Chris Park

Ready?  We are!  We've been working hard to prepare for the school year and we can't wait to welcome our amazing students back to the nest next week for the 2105-16 school year.  Our 9th graders arrive Monday, sophomores on Tuesday and by Wednesday, with the addition of juniors and seniors in the mix, we'll all be back, diving into project-based learning and working together to create a supportive, caring school community.

Missing any details about what to expect in the first week?  Make sure you've read the Welcome Letter that went out to Osprey Families early last week; it's chock full of information about everything from Orientation activities to transportation, when students will receive schedules and more.

Our fantastic new staff members: (top) Dan Thurber (Algebra 2), Jess Adams (college counselor), Sarah Sanchez Armstrong (Spanish), Jenny McKenzie, (Spanish), Ally Johnson (10th grade Humanities), Torrey Baldwin (ESS), Aliza Cruz (Geometry), (bottom) Tina Hott (Biology), Britt Gordon (Art)

Please remember, there are a few important forms we need from you.  All 9th and 10th graders must arrive to their first day of Orientation with a completed On the Edge Release Form in order to fully participate in activities.  Also, before students can ride the AHS Hub Bus, a completed Bus Rider Rules Form must be completed and turned in to Laurel Rodd in our Main Office.  Finally, we would like every family to complete the Economic Data Survey , which helps us, as a school, get the funding we need and also helps us to support students with demonstrated financial need.  Many thanks for being on top of these details.

Development Director Ashley Hein and 9th grade Humanities teacher Sara Price working to define what makes projects truly excellent

For those who were unable to attend our Head of School Reception last week, we invite you to read Sean's State of the School Address, in which he identifies areas of celebration and growth for our school, using feedback from last year's surveys and ongoing conversations with our community.  We appreciate how many families turned out for the event!

We'll look forward to seeing Osprey families at our Parent Orientation next Thursday, August 27th from 5:30 to 7:30 here on campus.  Parents and guardians will have the opportunity to meet teachers, travel through their students' daily schedules and learn more about our programs.  Please plan to join us, whether you're new to Animas or not.

We hope that everyone has a wonderful last little stretch of summer this weekend and we look forward to seeing you all next week.  Thanks for all you do to help the Ospreys soar!