Hello Ospreys,
Thank you to all the new and returning students and families who attended our Board Meeting last Thursday to share input about how we might approach reopening school in 4 weeks. We are grateful for all the ideas, feedback and support our families shared. Those who were not able to attend can
view the video recording of the public participation section of the Board Meeting
to get a sense of the hopes, thoughts and concerns folks shared.
As mom to rising junior Ben, Lisa Garofalo put it so eloquently after attending the Board Meeting, our school's goal is "to do the best we can to
maintain a sense of safety, normalcy and community in a physically and psychologically healthy environment
." We appreciate her "faith that [we] will develop a
creative solution that will help everyone not just survive but thrive
"--that's just what we're aiming to do!
As we mentioned in
last week's
News from the Nest
, our next step in the decision-making process is to gather additional input from new and returning students and parents via short surveys.
Please click on the following links to access surveys, which should take only a few minutes to complete, and share your input by next Monday, August 3.
Of course, we welcome your thoughts via email as well and the more input we can gather, the better job we can do creating a plan that works the best for the most members of our school community. This is an
important moment for us all to practice Advocacy
, a key Animas Habit of Heart and Mind.
Resources: Guidance for Schools
As schools and districts across the country finalize plans for reopening, we continue to pay close attention to guidelines from regional, state and federal agencies, including the following:
In addition, we're keeping abreast of the national conversation surrounding plans to return to school in the media, to help us think creatively. At last week's Board Meeting, Humanities teacher Stephen Sellers mentioned the
New York Times
article "
Schools beat earlier plagues with outdoor classrooms. We should too.
" We're using some of the money we've received from the CARES Act to fabricate outdoor learning classrooms on campus, and teachers are playing with other ideas to get students outside this fall. Sara Price, who also teaches Humanities, recommended the episode of
The Daily
podcast called "
The Science of of School Reopenings,
" another worthwhile resource, and assistant head of school Libby Cowles has been sharing out an episode of Cult of Pedagogy called "
9 Ways Online Teaching Should be Different from Face-to-Face
." There are so many good resources out there--if you've come across a particularly compelling article or podcast, feel free to send it our way.
Osprey Parent Coffee
Sara Voorhees, mom to rising senior Darby and AHS alum Morgan (class of 2019), suggested that we schedule an Osprey Parent Coffee soon, to give folks a chance to (re)connect in an informall way. We' will gladly oblige, and
encourage parents to join us this Friday, July 31, at 10am
at
meet.google.com/jhu-esfg-gjf
to check in. Sean and Libby will be on hand to share more details about summer projects, facilitate the visit and encourage parents to share their perspectives. All new and returning families are welcome.
Supporting Charter Schools
Charter schools can sometimes be misunderstood or come under attack in our country when people fail to recognize them as a key piece of the public education puzzle. At AHS, we think charter schools play an important role in improving education for
all
students, as the flexibility and autonomy we are afforded allows us to be innovative and nimble, which can inspire positive change in traditional schools, too. Want to get more involved in understanding the political landscape surrounding charter schools in Colorado, and learn how you can help advocate for their continued funding and success?
Join the Colorado Charter School Advocacy Network
to stay informed about legislative updates and learn how to counteract charter school myths and misunderstandings.
We look forward to gathering your input through the surveys linked above so we can continue to refine our reopening plans, which we plan to release in draft form by August 7. Our Board will vote on the plan August 10.
We are excited to be growing close to the time that we meet our newest Ospreys and reunite with returning students!
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Upcoming AHS Events
AHS Board Meeting
:
Mon. 8/10
First Day of School
:
Mon. 8/24
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Do you have sturdy outdoor furniture you would be willing to donate to AHS so that we can increase our capacity for using outside spaces this fall?
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Animas High School prepares all students for college and postsecondary success by creating critical thinkers and engaged citizens through an innovative, student-centered, project-based curriculum. We accomplish this through:
Rigorous academics
, where all students are prepared for college success
Culture of excellence
, where students are held to high expectations
Strong student-faculty relationships
, where students are well known.
Engaging learning
, where students see the relevance in their education
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