By Dr. Alison Hanks-Sloan, aka Dr. AHS, Aptos High Principal
See you next year, summer vacation. We are back in school!
Our seniors added their hand prints to the senior steps, our teachers prepared their classrooms, and we handed out schedules to more than half of our students at Mariner Days.
Senior sunrise: A celebratory tradition for seniors before school starts: Evan Jacques-Maynes, Mercy Nigh, Lillian Maddox, Grey Shingu.
For our families, this is the time to shift back into the school year rituals. As a kid, the new school year meant a new pair of shoes, some new additions in my wardrobe, and a new backpack or lunch bag.
It also meant shifting to early bedtime hours and trying to prepare for the upcoming day before going to bed. Sleep is just as important as healthy meals.
Our school no longer creates massive shopping lists for each grade level. The supply requests come through teachers and vary from class to class. If you are interested, some of our teachers use DonorsChoose.org, because all teachers welcome supplies; they also appreciate monetary donations, which can go through the fiscal clerk at the front office.
On Aug. 28, we invite our families to Back to School Night at 5:45 p.m. The evening starts in the quad with lots of information, a friendly welcome, and Mariner wear on sale, thanks to the Booster Club. Then, parents move from period to period to meet the teachers. Please save all the private questions for email, parent teachers conferences, or ParentSquare.
Seniors play table tennis: Bailey Fulton, Kailani Aguayo, Dylan Weiler and Carsten Kusiak
Our wellness center is also growing. For those moments when our students need some extra support in dealing with social emotional situations, we are enhancing our staff and programming. We appreciate the planning and financial help from Santa Cruz Office of Education and a grant through U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta. Be sure to check out the center and give us your suggestions on Back to School Night.
PVUSD has switched to ParentSquare, a communication tool that incorporates Remind and school messaging. We strongly encourage every family to download the app on their phone.
This tool is a great way to receive emails from the school and the district. It also has the ability to text staff members. We hope to develop several other systems through this program to make it easier to access the school programs and information.
One of the message streams to follow is the AHS construction conversation. PVUSD has been working with the board to replace our old gas lines with new pipes. This three-month project includes trenches, water usage, and accessibility to campus.
By following us on ParentSquare, you will have the latest information about open parts of campus. We also anticipate a road paving project that will be shared as soon as the details are finalized after the Aug. 28 board meeting. This project will greatly improve the potholes and damage on our campus.
Have you seen the new PVUSD attendance motto? “You can’t achieve your dreams, if you don’t show up to chase them.” Remember that being present at school is the law, and research proves that being on time and at school all contribute to being successful in school.
When a student has an appointment and needs to leave school, our parents/guardians are the only persons who can release their child from school. We ask families to please come up to the attendance office to pick up their child. Due to safety reasons, we can’t release a student based on a phone call.
When a student is absent, parents/guardians have three business days to clear that student’s absences due to illness and appointments. Students are responsible for the assignments they miss when they are not in school, whether it’s school-related or another reason.
Our students receive 5-star points and prizes for good attendance! Students are eligible for work permits, dances, activities including graduation, and sports participation when they have good attendance. Missing school and classes can impact access to those opportunities. Additionally, students miss out on important learning opportunities in the classroom if they accrue more than 20 tardies and unexcused absences. For more attendance information, visit our AHS website’s attendance page (www.aptoshs.net/StudentsFamilies/Students/Attendance/index.html) and please see the bright yellow paper in your enrollment packet.
Our new superintendent has restructured the district instructional leadership team. We will see more of Peggy Pughe on campus, as she is my district supervisor. Please know that we, including our assistant principal team, are here to support you and help your student SAIL on their journey toward graduation.
Get involved on campus. We value your input and your partnership. Whether you come to site council, participate in boosters, attend a game, and/or pick up your student, please engage in conversations with our staff and other parents. Together, we Mariners SAIL, our motto which stands for a Safe community, Aspire higher, Integrity oriented, and Lead by example. SAILs up!
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Alison Hanks-Sloan is principal at Aptos High School.
TOP PHOTO: Seniors Aritzel Gallardo and Janet Cuellar add their handprints to the senior stairs.