Greetings Ospreys,

Here we go! Our faculty and staff have been hard at work getting ready for the start of the year and we are so excited to welcome our students back to the Nest next week!

Start of Year Questions and Answers

When do classes begin?

• Required Student Orientation is Monday and Tuesday, with just 9th graders on campus Monday, followed by all students arriving on Tuesday with seniors meeting early for Senior Sunrise, sophomores heading to Lake Nighthorse and juniors rafting the Animas River (full details here)
• Core classes begin Wednesday morning
• Wednesday afternoon is our first NEST Meeting and 9th grade mini-exhibition--all students expected to be present 
• Electives begin Thursday

How do I view student schedules and what if I want to make changes?

• Login to Infinite Campus and click "Schedule"
• The Add/Drop Form is open through Friday 9/2
• For help, email Maureen Truax at [email protected] or find her on campus

How do students and families learn about AHS' Culture of Excellence?

• We'll review the Student Contract during orientation and teachers will have clear classroom expectations in course syllabi
• The Student and Family Handbook outlines expectations and is easy to find on our website under "Our Families" 

What meals are provided at school?

• Breakfast and catered lunch begin Wednesday 8/24--students should bring a sack lunch Monday and Tuesday!
• students need to place lunch orders online by noon the day before
• We will show students how to order lunch on the AHS website during Student Orientation 
• Complete the application for Free/Reduced Lunch even if you don't believe you qualify by logging in to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal where you'll select "More" and then select "Meal Benefits"

Can Ospreys get to school by bus?

• Yes! The Hub Bus, labeled FM2, leaves DHS at 8:08 in the morning to come to AHS and students can take the Hub Bus back to DHS each afternoon except Monday due to 9R early release.
• Visit the Durango 9R Transportation webpage to register your student if they will be riding the Hub Bus. Families must re-register students each school year by completing the online Registration Form.

What school supplies do we need?

• Teachers will share school supply lists next week
• All students need a laptop computer
• Consider shopping at Durango Office Depot; when you mention Animas High School at the register, they will make a donation to our school.
• You can also support AHS by using the AmazonSmile program; visit amazonsmile.com and select Animas High School as your charitable organization if you're school supply shopping online
• Find the Yearly Loaner Laptop Agreement on the AHS website under the Our Families > Forms tab 

What information does the school need about my student's health?

• Please be sure to share vaccination record or exemption form
• Complete medical forms as needed if your student needs any medication during school hours
• Be sure we have up-to-date care plans
• Questions? email [email protected]

How do I sign up for the AHS Mountain Biking Team?

• Next Tuesday is the first practice of the season! Register here

Any other questions? Reach out to Bridget Stowers at [email protected].

Student Orientation Reminders

See full details about what's happening during Student Orientation at each grade level here. Some key reminders:

9th Grade Orientation

Freshpeople will be on campus 8:25-3:30 Monday and Tuesday.

• bring a laptop and sack lunch both days

10th Grade Orientation

Sophomores will shuttle by van to Lake Nighthorse Tuesday morning and return to campus for the afternoon.

• meet at AHS Tuesday at 8:25 with signed permission slip----THIS MUST BE PRINTED, SIGNED BY PARENT/GUARDIAN
• bring/wear what you need for a morning at the lake, no laptop needed
• bring a sack lunch
• release from AHS at 3:30

11th Grade Orientation

Juniors will raft on the Animas River Tuesday morning and return to campus for the afternoon.

• meet at Mild to Wild, 50 Animas View Drive Tuesday at 8:25 ready to raft from 32nd street put in to Santa Rita's Whitewater Park
• bring AHS Permission slip and Mild to Wild waiver--THESE MUST BE PRINTED, SIGNED BY PARENT/GUARDIAN
• bring sack lunch for picnic at the park after being on the river
• no laptop needed
• students will be bussed to AHS after lunch for the afternoon and released from campus at 3:30--students who drive to Mild to Wild in the morning will need to find a ride back there at the end of the day to retrieve cars

12th Grade Orientation

Seniors will have Senior Sunrise and advisory breakfast Tuesday morning.

• meet at ABC trailhead at the corner of East 10th Street and East 6th Avenue at 6:45am
• wear good walking shoes
• senior advisors will reach out to advisees directly to plan for post-Senior Sunrise breakfast
• seniors will wrap up for the day after breakfast

We have great plans in place to kick off the year with a good mix of culture-building and support for all our students so everyone starts the school year feeling connected and ready to learn. 

Remembering Leo Lloyd

You may have heard that our community experienced a tragic loss recently with the sudden death of Leo Lloyd, Ande Lloyd's dad. Not only is Ande a passionate math teacher, he's also an AHS graduate, his brother Kaden attended AHS and the Lloyd family has been part of our school family for many years.

Leo was an avid climber and outdoorsman and pillar in our community. We loved having Leo on campus when he would come literally "show students the ropes" as a guest lecturer in Ande's outdoor education electives. You can read more about Leo's extraordinary life of service in this tribute to him, and in the GoFundMe that has been set up for the Lloyd family. Our hearts are with Susie, Ande, Kaden and Kendall and we know that our whole school community will continue to rally around them at this incredibly difficult time. 

Leo's life will be celebrated at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College on August 30th at 4:00pm. All are welcome. 

Finally, we'd love to ask for your help in spreading the word on a couple of opportunities to join the Animas community. We have just a couple of open seats in our 9th grade class we'd love to fill due to some last-minute changes in plans among incoming families. Enrollment for fall is open until September 30, and we will reopen enrollment for second semester on October 1, provided seats are open. In addition, our Inclusion Department is looking for just the right person to step into the Academic Coach role. Details below.

We hope you all enjoy the last little stretch of the summer break and we look forward to seeing our Osprey back in the Nest next week!

Upcoming Events

Student Orientation (9th grade; optional for transfer students): Mon. 8/22

Senior Sunrise (12th grade): Tues. 8/23, 6:45am at ABC Trailhead

Student Orientation (9th, 10th and 11th grade): Tues. 8/23

Classes Begin (all grades): Wed. 8/24

NEST Meeting and Student Activity Fair: Wed. 9/1

Labor Day Holiday (no classes): Mon. 9/5

XBlock Classes Begin: Wed. 9/7

Family Orientation: Wed. 9/7, 5:30pm

Senior Family Postsecondary Night: 9/14, 5:30pm

Osprey Back-to-School Social: Fri. 9/23, 5:30pm