Dear Parents,   

On Wednesday, the Archdiocese of Louisville hosted a luncheon to honor faculty for their years of service to Catholic education.  Assumption had a number of honorees for the following years of service:  5 years – Katie Culver; 10 years – Lou Armstrong, Doug Sumey; 15 years – Megan Rose; 25 years – Diane Darst, Katie Hughbanks, Stasia Polston, Martha Tedesco; 30 years – Judy Fieldhouse; 40 years – Sandy Maxted.  Congratulations to all of our faculty who were honored!   

CALENDAR NOTE:  

  • AP CAPSTONE PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT:  On Tuesday, November 12, at 6:30 p.m. parents and their daughters are invited to attend the AP Capstone Program information night in the Media Center. Access will be available through the CAC entrance. The AP Capstone Program is an “innovative program [that] equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges.” If your daughter is a freshman or sophomore who may take AP Seminar her junior year, or if she is a junior currently enrolled in AP Seminar, then we highly recommend that you attend this meeting as it will provide information about the benefits of completing the AP Capstone certificate or diploma.  Assumption is the only Catholic high school in Louisville, one of only 16 high schools in the state of Kentucky, and one of only 1,900 schools in the nation to offer this robust research experience. We highly recommend both you and your daughter attend to learn about this opportunity. The program will last one hour. Any questions? Contact Kelly Kirwan.   

CAMPUS MINISTRY:  New time! PARENT PRAYER:  The Parent Prayer group now meets each Tuesday morning from 8:00-8:30 a.m. in the chapel at St. Catherine’s Convent, which is right across Tyler Lane from AHS.  Just look for the sign! If you are unable to attend but would like them to pray for a particular intention, please email it to our campus minister MARY ANN STEUTERMANN.We hope you find comfort in knowing that we are praying for your intention even if you can’t be present.   

WEBSITE UPDATE: The Marketing and Admissions office would like to thank you for your patience as they continue to diligently work on the website to make it more functional for you as a parent. They have heard your feedback and are working with developers to fix the several issues that you’ve experienced since its launch in March of this year. We are hopeful that by early next week there will several fixes you will see, including an updated Athletics section as well as an improved calendar experience. Additionally, if there is something that you would like to suggest as an improvement email ELISABETH CASSADY with that information. Thanks so much! 

ALL SCHOOL SEMI-FORMAL DANCE:  On Saturday, November 23, the junior class is hosting an All-School Dance from 8:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.  This dance also serves as the junior prom.  All students are invited to attend and may bring one guest with them.  Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance (no tickets are sold at the door).  Every student and her guest must have a ticket.  Tickets will be sold during lunches beginning Monday, November 18.  Students will receive information about dance rules and expectations via SharePoint, email, and morning announcements.  To ensure student safety, all students and guests must arrive by 9:00 p.m. and may not leave until 11:00 p.m.  All students will be monitored with the use of a passive alcohol sensor upon arrival and departure of the dance.  

REMINDER – DANCE CODE FOR DRESSES AND ALL-SCHOOL SEMI-FORMAL DANCE/JUNIOR PROM:  We have been working diligently to make sure that those who attend the dance are dressed appropriately and that they know what appropriate looks like in terms of a Catholic high school dance. These guidelines are not new to Assumption, but we are following the lead of other area Catholic girls high schools and being much more specific about what “appropriate” means. Many thanks to those of you who have been working with your daughters (and sometimes even checking directly with the administration) to help them determine if a dress is modest, age-appropriate, and event-appropriate. Because traditional interpretations of these terms are often at odds with current fashion and cultural trends, we have given students detailed explanations with illustrations of a number of current fashion trends that could cause problems in terms of being acceptable/appropriate for a Catholic high school dance. To help us help your daughter, you can review this information, DANCE CODE FOR DRESSES, and see the examples. One guiding principle would be to think beautiful, glamorous, elegant—NOT sexy.  Specifically,  

  • No more than minimal bare midriff areas or bodices that look like bras or bikini tops  
  • No plunging necklines and no more than VERY minimal side cut-outs  
  • center cut of the dress does not extend beyond a normal bra cut (note: a push-up bra does not have a normal bra cut)  
  • should be able to wear a normal bra (it could be strapless) without it showing  
  • No backless dresses or plunging waistlines: dress back may not fall below the waist   
  • Dress length must be to mid-thigh or below in the front and back and any slits in the dress may be no higher than mid-thigh  
  • No Bodycon dresses (one-piece figure-hugging garment that clings tightly to the body from the bust to the lower hem) are allowed  

We really do not want your daughter (and you!) to be upset on November 23 when she is not allowed to enter the dance because she is not dressed appropriately. Thank you for your help and support.  And just FYI, our full dance regulations, including the dress code, can be found on page 26 in theStudent/Parent Handbook.  

REQUEST FROM GARDINER LANE SHOPPING CENTER: While our students are never allowed to park at Gardiner Lane Shopping Center during the school day, the property managers don’t mind if a few of our parents pick up their daughters there after school as long as you are not parking there for a prolonged period of time and you park in spaces close to Bardstown Road. When AHS parents park in the spaces close to the various shops, it takes up spots they need to have available to customers. If you pick your daughter up at Gardiner Lane Shopping Center, please be sure not to wait in one of the first six spaces closest to the shops in any row. And do show your appreciation for the vendors allowing us to use their spaces on a short-term basis by occasionally giving them some of your business—if you like to arrive early to pick up your daughter, you might enjoy a coffee from Heine Brothers, send a package at the UPS Store, get in a quick workout at Planet Fitness, or get your car serviced at Goodyear!  

CANSTRUCTION:  The can collection for Canstruction on Monday, November 25, is in full swing.  Please encourage your daughter to help fight hunger in the Louisville community by bringing in can goods for Dare to Care between now and November 25.  

AP EXAM FEES: This is a reminder that AP Exam fees are due in the main office by November 14.  If your daughter is taking an AP class this year and plans on taking an AP Exam or submitting a portfolio to the College Board, she was sent an invoice in homeroom on October 14 with the amount and due date.  If you have not issued a check to Assumption for the AP Exam, please check with your daughter about the invoice and amount.  If she no longer has the invoice, contact KATHY FLEISCHER  for a copy.   

SOME REMINDERS ABOUT ABSENCES: Assumption does not excuse students from school for family trips and/or travel. Please keep this in mind as you are making holiday plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas in particular. If there are mitigating circumstances that might warrant an exception to this policy, please contact Dean of Students CINDI BAUGHMAN well in advance of the dates involved. Students are required to provide a doctor’s note for an absence just before or after an extended break from school for the absence to be excused. Requests for excused absences must be made by the parent/guardian in writing (email to attendance@ahsrockets.org is fine) and should be submitted at least a week an advance. Also, please note that a student must have no grade lower than a C in any of her classes and have strong attendance in order for an absence that is not medically necessary to be excused. Full details about our attendance and absence policies and procedures can be found in the STUDENT-PARENT HANDBOOK.   

INCLEMENT WEATHER:  With winter not far away, we would like to take the opportunity to remind parents of our inclement weather policies.  You may also refer to pages 32-33 of theSTUDENT-PARENT HANDBOOKfor detailed information.  This is a great time to check your PowerSchool information and make sure you are signed up for text PowerAlerts.  When the Archdiocese of Louisville makes a call about school closings due to inclement weather, we will send PowerAlerts to those who have registered.  You may also listen to local radio and television stations for an announcement that all Catholic high schools in Jefferson County are closed or on a delayed schedule.  When the school is on a delayed schedule, Assumption will follow a modified version of our 9:05 schedule (our usual “Wednesday schedule”), but all morning activities will be cancelled including detention, testing pool, and meetings.  In the case of a delayed opening, the school building will open and students will be supervised beginning at 8:15 a.m.; students arriving prior to 8:55 a.m. report to the school cafeteria where they will be supervised until the first bell rings to go to first period at 8:55 a.m.; students will not be admitted to the building prior to 8:15 a.m. When the school is closed, all activities, including sporting events, are cancelled for the entire day.  All school offices are closed as well. If your daughter drives to school or carpools with another student, please note: If parents have concerns about their daughter driving in inclement weather, they should not allow her to drive to school on a day when inclement weather is predicted. If it appears that inclement weather is on the way, we will allow students to leave early (prior to dismissal) only if their parents come to get them — students will not be released on the basis of a phone call or because their carpool driver is going home early.   Please remember that our calendar has two traditional snow days built in; therefore, digital learning days would not begin until the third snow day. Information about our digital learning days can be found on page 50 of the handbook.  This information will be reviewed with students this month and will be included specifically in our upcoming Rocket Reports.      

ALUMNAE CAREER DAY: Assumption students will be participating in our third annual Alumnae Career Day on Thursday, November 14. This event will take place during the school day. Students in all grade levels will participate in activities to help them think about careers and college. Freshmen will use our Naviance program to explore careers that match their interests and hear from alumnae speakers from Bellarmine University’s Career Development Center about how the habits they develop in high school and their academic progress have an impact on their future career pursuits.  Sophomores and juniors will have the opportunity to learn about several careers including nursing, finance, engineering, event planning, and many others, from alumnae who work in those fields. Seniors will hear from a panel of representatives from area colleges who will address questions about majors, student services, and how to be successful in college.   

COMPETITIVE SUMMER PROGRAMS:  Parents of juniors interested in applying for the Governor’s Scholars Program (GSP):  Juniors were invited to attend one of two informational meetings on September 26 and 30 about the application process for this program.  Applications are due to the Guidance Office on Wednesday, November 13, at 8:05 a.m.  A timeline, helpful online links, and a checklist can be found here: GSP Timeline. Please contact KELLY KIRWAN regarding any questions about the application.   

Two other programs available to students include the Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) and the Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs (GSE). GSA is available for sophomore and junior students interested in the performing, visual, and creative arts.  The application deadline is Friday, January 10, 2020, and information can be found here. Students serious about applying are strongly recommended to register and attend a Prep Workshop - register here.  GSE is available for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors interested in innovation in business.  The application will be available on November 15, 2019.  Information about GSE can be found at http://kentuckygse.com/. Students may earn scholarships to attend schools in Kentucky if they are selected for any of these programs. If a student is interested in GSA or GSE, she needs to contact her guidance counselor.   

ROCKET PARENT NETWORK (RPN) NEWS:  On a recent RPN parent survey, there was interest in information regarding ride service safety for teens.  Good news–for those under 18, the Uber teen accounts program is closed. Minors should no longer be riding unaccompanied. Lyft has a similar policy.  But, even with these enhanced teen safety policies in place by Uber and similar companies, a current trend for teens who sneak out is to use Ride Services as their means of transportation.  It is always a good idea to be aware or what apps your daughter has on her phone. Even though the Uber teen account program is closed, teens know how to get around this and can open their own account with a gift card.  

ROSE THEATRE PRODUCTION:  Rose Theatre Company is proud to present the deviously delicious Broadway sci-fi smash musical, Little Shop of Horrors! Inspired by the B-movies of the 1960s, Little Shop has devoured the hearts of theatre goers for over 30 years. The meek floral assistant, Seymour Kelborn, stumbles across a new breed of plant he names Audrey II – after his coworker crush. Remaining performances are November 8-10 at 7:00 p.m. To purchase tickets, please visit www.showtix4u.com and search for Little Shop of Horrors. Contact COLLEEN MURPHY if you or anyone in your party requires seating without the use of stairs or with the use of a wheelchair. Little Shop of Horrors is appropriate for ages 10 and up.   

CAMPUS STORE HOURS: To better serve our community, we are making a change to our campus store hours. The store will be open from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 1:00-3:30 p.m. on Friday as well as other times by appointment. Included on the website will be additional evening and holiday hours for the 2019-2020 school year. Students may drop off any order forms to athletic office or leave them in the campus store lockbox located directly outside of the campus store. Please contact the athletic department for any of your campus store needs at 502-271-2555.  

Sincerely,   

Martha Tedesco   

Principal   Make a GiftVisit AHS