Greetings Ospreys,
The Nest felt a bit like a campground this afternoon (in a good way!), with groups of students testing their outdoor cooking prowess in an Osprey Iron Chef competition, courtesy of Julian's Outdoor Leadership elective. Cooking up dishes ranging from beef stew to pineapple upside down cake, these students are sure to be appreciated for their skills on future river trips and camping excursions!
Meanwhile, seniors are diving into the complex issues surrounding the intersection between environmental justice and energy use in the Four Corners, working towards creating concise, compelling Justice Monologues in Sara Price's Humanities class, and sophomores are experimenting with prisms and photography with student teacher Madi Neukirch in Tina Trujillo's Physics class. Lots of hands on learning and grappling with engaging topics!
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Next Week's Events
Wednesday, juniors will take the PSAT/NMSQT in the morning on campus; regular core classes will not meet for them this day.
We are so excited for our New Campus Celebration Wednesday afternoon, 2:30-3:30pm. Please join us as we gather to celebrate the progress on the construction of our new school. All are welcome!
The program will include a land acknowledgment, performances by the FLC Skyhawk Nation Drum Group, AHS Color Guard and musicians Juliane Marqua (AHS class of 2017) and Jesse Ogle (founder of iAM Music), along with speakers from FLC, AHS and the community. We know that being on the site of our future home will get you excited for the future of AHS! Masking is strongly encouraged for this event.
We will provide transportation to the New Campus Celebration for all students immediately following Advisory on Wednesday afternoon. XBlock classes will not meet this week, and all students will be released from Fort Lewis College at the end of the school day at 3:30pm. We are not providing transportation back to AHS after the Ceremony, and the Hub Bus will not run Wednesday afternoon. Please plan accordingly.
Please refer to the Fort Lewis College map to see location of the ceremony, across Talon Drive from the Bayder Snyder dorms. Parking is available at the Smith Sports Complex, the Union Visitor Lot and EBH Lot. |
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On Friday, juniors head back up to Fort Lewis College for their next Chemistry Lab. Steve Smith is seeking volunteer support on Friday from 10am-2pm (or in increments of 10am-12pm and 12-2pm) so that he can run the experiment he'd like to do with students. Please reach out to steve.smith@animashighschool.com if you are available and interested in supporting our juniors in this way!
Save the Date
Student-led Conferences are scheduled for Tuesday 10/19, 4-6pm and are required for all 9th, 10th and 11th grade families and students. Please stay tuned for a letter coming next week with all the details!
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What Happens in Athlete Study Hall Stays in Athlete Study Hall
Maddie Tharp, Animas Quill
Have you ever wondered what happens when all the other students leave the school and only the athletes (in Athlete Study Hall) are left? Perhaps not. But now, let me take you to a world of the most intense checkers games, space fish with infinity tales, giant owls and runes that may or may not summon a demon on a full moon.
Wednesday, October 6th, Maddie Tharp, Jebby Holt, Gavin Davis, Lou Schill, Cyrus Calderwood and Mariah Gallegos gathered in Ashley Carruth’s room for a quiet study hall period. Little did they know that the combination of finished homework and whiteboard markers could culminate into an interesting time.
It all started with a giant owl. From there the inspiration and creativity lead to a hummingbird, to a cute bird, to two kinds of fish and finally the most random, a dog face and runic messages. When the board was mostly full they switched their gears into an intense checkers match, where copious amounts of battle strategy were taught and double and triple jumps dominated the checkers board. Perhaps life lessons were learned here, perhaps not. Probably not though.
However at the end of the period the worst had to come, the amazing whiteboard art including the beautiful owl, was expunged from this world. Maybe not others in other dimensions though, like Schrodinger's cat. This we may never know.
Study hall supervisor for the day, Ashley Carruth, provided her own inner 3rd person monologue of the situation that day: “Meanwhile, the intrepid study hall supervisor, Ashley ‘Carruthless’ managed to employ her superhuman powers of focus to read a novel for her advanced Race and Identity Elective, grade her freshmen's gender socialization seminar, and provide critical feedback on the whiteboard artwork. All in all, she described the experience as, ‘otherworldly and utterly Animas’.”
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PSAT Testing for 11th Grade on Wednesday
Za Barrett, Animas Quill
During the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 13, all AHS juniors will take the PSAT/NMSQT.
"The PSAT gets students ready for the SAT and provides a guide for each student about strengths and areas of improvement for the SAT," states Erin Cummins-Roper, our Director of College Counseling.
While Animas does not orient its curriculum around exams or test scores, the school pays so students may take the PSAT and SAT. The former serves as a practice for the latter, though its importance goes beyond that.
"The NMSQT aspect of this test can qualify students for the National Merit Scholarship if they score in the top 1% nationally," Erin notes. High-scoring students can earn a scholarship or receive a valuable letter of recommendation for college.
For preparation, teacher Susan Raleigh advises that "it really pays to study with the Khan Academy SAT study site if you want your scores to go up a little."
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Local Celebrity Screens New Film for DAC Fundraiser
Mia Macon, Animas Quill
Starring homegrown celebrity Durango native Pearce Joza, Under The Lights is the story of Sam, a boy with epilepsy, so desperate to feel like a normal kid, he goes to prom knowing that the lights will make him have a seizure.
Known for his roles in Disney’s Lab Rats, MECH-X4, Zombies 2, and Zombies 3, Pearce is excited to return home and share his new film! There will be a Q & A directly after the movie to get to know Pearce and his movie.
The screening is a fundraiser for the Durango Arts Center, where Pearce got his start acting in their youth theater programs. Come support the DAC! Tickets are available here.
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COVID Updates
We had 1 positive COVID case in our senior class and 1 in our junior class this week. Etoile has consulted with families of all students considered high risk exposures and 4 students have been quarantined.
As a reminder, fully vaccinated individuals are not required to quarantine when exposed to a positive case unless they become symptomatic or test positive. It is recommended that they get tested 3-5 days after the known exposure, wear a mask anytime they are indoors, stay away from high risk individuals and monitor for symptoms for 14 days. Getting vaccinated minimizes interruptions to learning and protect from required quarantines when exposed to a positive case. Here is the link for information on where and when to get your vaccine.
Unvaccinated individuals are required to quarantine for a full 10 days after an exposure to a COVID positive case. There is not a shortened quarantine option. Our local incidence rate remains high, the Delta variant is highly transmissible and vaccine breakthroughs are occurring across all age groups, though
Enjoy the weekend and thanks for all you do to help the Ospreys soar!
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Upcoming AHS Events
AHS Board Meeting: Tues. 10/12, 5:30-7:30pm
PSAT/NMSQT College Entrance Exam (11th grade): Wed. 10/13, 8:30am-12pm
AHS New Campus Celebration: Wed. 10/13, 2:30-3:30pm at Fort Lewis College
Bridge Program Lunch (9th and 12th grade): Thurs. 10/14
Chemistry Lab (11th grade): Fri. 10/15 at FLC
Sexual/Relationship Education (10th grade): Wed. 10/20
NEST Meeting: Wed. 10/20, 1-1:40pm
Fall Break (no classes): Fri. 10/22
Durango Mesa Pursuit: Colorado High School Cycling League State Championships: Sat. 10/23 and Sun. 10/24 at Durango Mesa Park
Professional Development Day (no classes): Mon. 10/25
Ropes Course Field Trip (9th grade): Wed. 10/27, 8:30am-12:45pm
Junior College Night: Wed. 10/27, 5:30pm
An Evening with FLC: Wed. 11/3, 6pm at FLC
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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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