Greetings Ospreys,

Please note next Monday, November 6, is one of the few times over the course of this school year when AHS and Durango 9R School District schedules are not fully aligned. AHS classes will meet on Monday. Because 9R schools are not in session on Monday, the Hub Bus will not be operating. Be sure to make alternate transportation plans.

It's been an entertaining week at the Nest, with Spirit Week and Halloween costumes galore, along with 2nd quarter XBlock classes beginning. Find lots more photos over at the AHS Quill Media Instagram feed and AHS Facebook page!

In Math 9 with Lauren Lucky and Antonio Acuna, students have been exploring Edgar Allan Poe classic short story "The Pit and the Pendulum" while using data and statistical ideas such as standard deviation and normal distribution to develop a formula for the period of a pendulum. Interested in learning more about Poe? Head up to Fort Lewis College this weekend for the musical Nevermore, featuring alumnus Travis Carlson '15 as Poe!

Next Week's Events

Next Wednesday at 5:30pm, Erin Cummins-Roper will host the fall 9th Grade Postsecondary Night, sharing helpful information about how to set students up for success after graduation. Topics will include tailoring academic choices to match postsecondary goals, the role of extracurriculars and summer plans, exploring Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways and strategies for paying for postsecondary education. All 9th grade families are strongly encouraged to attend.

Student Council to Host Fall Dance

Devin Osman '26, Animas Quill

Ospreys! Due to popular demand, on Friday, November 10 from 6-8pm, AHS will be hosting a fall dance in the Commons with food, drinks and games.

The event will be optionally semi-formal, meaning that you don’t have to dress fancy but you can. You’ll be able to dress as cool as you want! Students are even encouraged to scan a QR code from StuCo to recommend music for the dance. These recommendations will be added to a playlist that will be played at the event.

Family members of students are encouraged to help support the dance efforts by donating food and beverages or other supplies for the event. Please reach out to [email protected] to learn more.

This dance is 100% led by StuCo, and they hope many Ospreys attend. Dave shared, “I think a lot of students have been asking for this, which is why we’re doing it. I believe this is going to be more of a student driven thing, we just want to listen to the student body and give them an event to look forward to.”

So Ospreys, get your groove on and fly on up to Animas next Friday for a night to remember!

Ospreys Journey to Middle Earth in Troupe 1096’s The Hobbit

Rilee Lytle ‘25, Animas Quill

Durango High School's Troupe 1096 opens its season today, Friday, November 3 with The Hobbit, a reimagined stage version of JRR Tolkien’s classic book. This one is a must-see for the AHS community, as three AHS Ospreys have lead roles in the play. Juniors Savannah Rickerman and Cecil Hutt are playing two of the dwarves at the center of the adventure, and our very own sophomore Luca Sandoval McCallum is featured as the central character, hobbit Bilbo Baggins.  

The Hobbit is set in the fantasy world of Middle Earth, live on stage, as our protagonist Bilbo takes the audience on an epic, magical adventure. The story starts when Bilbo is summoned by the wizard Gandalf to leave his home along with a band of dwarves on a quest to recover their stolen treasure. He encounters many obstacles along the way culminating in the legendary battle with the evil dragon, Smaug. 

These Ospreys have taken lots of time to perfect their characters and find what works for them. Luca, who has been doing theatre since 4th grade, is finding great joy in playing a hobbit, a role that comes pretty naturally to him. He shared how his character relates to him: “Lots of people but mainly my mom was the first person to tell me that I pretty much look like a hobbit. So I look like the character but he also really loves food. And I really love food. So we have certain attributes that we share. And also I love the story of The Hobbit.” 

Cecil Hutt, who started theatre more recently when they joined Troupe 1096 as a freshperson, is playing the confident dwarf Gloin in the show. They explained, “My strength would definitely be connecting with the characters and actually being able to have fun on stage as I don’t get typical stage fright. My adrenaline comes from stage excitement. But my weaknesses are definitely embodying the character. I can connect to them but actually embodying them is harder for me.” Despite the challenge, Cecil is thriving in the role: “I feel like the character sort of is like me in the way they’re trying their best to stay alive and try to deal with situations competently.”

Junior Savannah Rickerman, who transferred to AHS just this year, is playing the dwarf Bofur. Savannah has been part of Troupe 1096 since 9th grade. She reflected on her connection with her role: “My character is definitely a guy but he has chronically girly behavior. And [he] never knows what’s happening [and] I am always making people laugh which is like a thing I like to do. I'm very comedic and I enjoy making people laugh and smile.” 

These Ospreys have taken a lot of time out of their personal lives to make the show a reality. They travel between schools to be a part of this play and have to balance their work and extracurricular lives to make it a reality. Luca explained, “The transport between DHS and here, that’s a difficult part sometimes to find a ride really quickly. But other than that, I’m friends with a lot of people between both schools, so it’s never been too difficult to balance. I mean it’s always been easy to balance because it’s comfortable here and comfortable there. It’s like another home.” 

Audiences can expect a fun, heartwarming, and adventure-filled show. The show runs this weekend and next, and tickets are on sale now on the Troupe 1096 website.  See the cast in action in this story from Durango Local News. Break some legs, Ospreys!

AHS Enrollment

The January 2024 Intent to Enroll form is now open for students who would like to transfer to AHS for 2nd semester. Fall 2024 enrollment opens January 17 and 8th grade families are encouraged to visit with us to learn more and see if AHS is the best fit. The next Campus Tour is Tuesday, November 28 at 5:30pm. RSVP here. Contact [email protected] with enrollment questions, or if your student is planning to transfer from AHS to another school for 2nd semester.

Enjoy the weekend and thanks for all you do to help the Ospreys soar!

Upcoming Events

No Hub Bus (AHS in session, 9R schools are not): Mon. 11/6

9th Grade Postsecondary Night: Wed. 11/8, 5:30pm

TWIGS Parent Evening Coffee (online): Mon. 11/13, 6pm online via meet.google.com/zpy-cmgv-rcf

Advancement Committee Meeting: Tues. 11/14, 1pm

AHS Board Meeting: Thurs. 11/16, 5:30pm

Thanksgiving Break: Mon. 11/20 through Fri. 11/24

AHS Campus Tour: Tues. 11/28, 530pm; RSVP here

Media Arts Exhibition of Learning: Thurs. 11/30, 5:30pm at the Smiley Building

Winter Exhibition of Learning: Thurs. 12/7

Presentations of Learning: Wed. 12/13 through Fri. 12/15

Winter Break: Mon. 12/18 through Mon. 1/1

Professional Development Day (no classes): Tues. 1/2

First Day of 2nd Semester: Wed. 1/3

Fall 2024 Enrollment Opens: Wed. 1/17