AUGUST 19, 2022

Our new school year is underway, and once again our classrooms and hallways are filled with laughter, positive energy, and the excitement of your daughters as they start this new year at Assumption. And this great start was made even better with the headlines that AHS has captured recently. We are thrilled to share the news that Assumption has now been recognized not just locally and regionally but also nationally and internationally as well!   

The stained-glass window in our chapel featuring the Assumption of Mary entitled “Becoming” has been awarded a Top 100 CODA Award! This work of art celebrates Mary as a strong woman of faith who answered “yes” to God’s call and serves as an inspiration to us all. This award is given to the most successful design projects internationally that integrate commissioned art into an interior, architectural, or public space. Over 450 projects were submitted this year from around the world, and we are honored that Becoming was chosen for special recognition.

At the national level, our volleyball program has been recognized as one of the greatest sports dynasties of the past two decades in the U.S. by MaxPreps – a leader in high school sports coverage. 

And last but certainly not least, we are incredibly honored that Assumption has been recognized as the Courier-Journal’s Best Private High School for 2022!    

Of course, we have you, our parents, as well as our many supporters to thank for this latest award. While the work we do is never out of a desire for recognition but rather an unwavering commitment to providing an unparalleled educational experience for our students, it’s wonderful to know that others see the outstanding work we do to fulfill our mission of growing young women in faith, compassion, integrity, and excellence. That work continues as we dedicate ourselves to this new school year full of promise and excitement for all that lies ahead. 

We are so proud of our alumnae who were selected for Louisville Business First’s 40 Under 40! This is an annual program honoring the region’s up-and-coming young leaders who are thriving in their respective careers. The 40 Under 40 list is a competitive and prestigious honor, starting with the first step of being nominated by peers. Louisville Business First received nearly 600 nominees this year.

Jessica Tretter ’01

Jessica is a Certified Financial Planner and owner of Tretter Financial Planning, LLC.

Aimee Jewell ’08

Aimee serves as the Engagement Specialist at Leadership Louisville and most recently served on the Assumption Alumnae Board of Directors as Board Chair and completed her eighth year on the Alumnae Board in 2022.

SPIRIT WEAR MONDAYS: Spirit Wear Mondays will begin on Monday, August 22. Students may wear an AHS sweatshirt or T-shirt with jeans or AHS pants purchased from the Assumption Campus store (no shorts or leggings). Students who choose not to wear Spirit Day attire must be in their full Assumption uniform. 

8:15 START/12:30 DISMISSAL ON WEDNESDAY: On Wednesday, August 24, we will have a regular 8:15 a.m. start with a 12:30 dismissal so that our faculty and staff can participate in a professional development session. After school supervision will not be provided. Please make plans for your daughter to be picked up by 1:00 p.m. We will begin our 9:15 Wednesday schedule on Wednesday, August 31. 

ASSUMPTION PARENT PRAYER: Our parent prayer group will begin meeting on August 30 from 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. in the AHS chapel and will continue to meet each Tuesday morning throughout the school year. Please park in any open space and enter the school through the main entrance. During the year, we pray for every student by name twice. Please join us for any or all of these opportunities!

FIVE-MINUTE PRAYER OPPORTUNITY: Students have a great option for adding shared prayer into their day every Wednesday beginning August 24! They are invited to come to the chapel for guided prayer during the first five minutes of their lunch block.  It gives them time to center themselves in God’s presence, all while cutting down on the wait in the lunch line! Also, students earn 30 family points just for participating, and they don’t have to be Catholic. Please encourage your daughter to take advantage of this opportunity!

RETREAT UPDATE: All students are now able to access retreat applications on Student SharePoint or in the Retreat office. Freshmen will still receive applications in their homerooms, but they are available in print and online. Senior, junior, and sophomore parents – please encourage your daughters to select a date and turn in their applications ASAP to ensure retreat availability and preparation time.  Freshman and senior parents will receive information in the mail regarding their daughter’s retreat. This information will be sent out 2-3 weeks prior to the retreat, so keep an eye out for those documents in the mail. We are looking forward to retreats this year and hope you will encourage your daughter to attend. Please contact JULIA SCUDDER if you have any questions.

Last week, students continued to review school policies and school safety plans. Also of note, our Family Council revealed our school theme for the year: “Beautiful Moments.” Freshman homerooms prepared for their annual Cheer-Off to promote homeroom bonding and unity. Next week, students will be in homeroom during LEAD and Learn time to focus on safety and campus security. Students will experience a variety of safety drills and learn vital information about keeping our campus safe by not opening doors to anyone. Next Friday, students will have an open LEAD and Learn time intended to serve as a mental break for students across all grade levels. 

PARENT ORIENTATIONS: Special thanks to our parents – we had wonderful attendance at our parent orientations both in person and virtually. If you were unable to join us for the informative evening, please contact your daughter’s guidance counselor: Senior: jennifer.ruckriegel@ahsrockets.org, Junior: abby.asfahl@ahsrockets.org, Sophomore: Kristin.walsh@ahsrockets.org, Freshman: dawn.deweese@ahsrockets.org. Parents may also review information from the orientation sessions through these links: Freshman Orientation, Sophomore Orientation, Junior Orientation, Senior Orientation. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

CARPOOL & TRAFFIC FLOW REMINDERS: Thank you for your patience and cooperation in the carpool drop-off/pick-up line this week. It’s getting better every day! Just a quick review of things to keep in mind:

  • Link to the proper way to drop off/pick up your daughter to and from school: CARPOOL AND TRAFFIC FLOW INFORMATION & MAP
  • The paved shoulder along Bardstown Road in front of Assumption is used as a turning lane/waiting area for vehicles prior to entering the carpool lane on campus. Those queueing on the shoulder must be sure not to block the Bardstown Road/Tyler Lane intersection.
  • If you can, please come earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon; we begin supervising students at 7:15 in the morning and provide after-school supervision until 4:30 in the afternoon (4 p.m. on Fridays). If you arrive before 7:30 in the morning or after 3:15 in the afternoon, the traffic is much lighter.
  • When traveling to/from campus for drop-off and pick-up, avoid Bardstown Road and Tyler Lane as much as possible. Use this handy map of the neighborhood streets around AHS for alternate routes: NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS AROUND ASSUMPTION
  • When you are exiting campus, TURN LEFT on TYLER instead of turning right and going to the light at Bardstown Road.
  • You can avoid the carpool line all together by making a quick stop at Gardiner Lane Shopping Center to drop off or pick up your daughter.

CARPOOL LINE “NO IDLING” REMINDER: A message to parents from the ECC: The Environmental Concerns Committee has made many changes over the years to help AHS be a more sustainable community. Several years ago, “no idle” signs were put by the main entrance to the CAC so in the afternoon drivers would turn off their cars while they waited to pick up their students. The no idle zone is so important because car exhaust can damage not only the environment but our health. Idling puts off hazardous pollutants such as carbon dioxide and can cause serious health problems such as asthma, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, and cancer. It also causes serious environmental issues; carbon dioxide is a primary contributor to global warming. If you idle for one hour, you waste about $2 on gasoline, and the more you do it the more it adds up. Instead, we invite parents to shop at the campus store or simply arrive just a few minutes before school dismisses. We thank everyone for helping the earth and invite everyone to take part in a greener community.

SCHOOL PICTURES: School pictures for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will be held on Tuesday, August 30,and Wednesday, August 31, during study halls. Pictures will be made in your daughter’s school uniform. Please help your daughter make sure her uniform is clean and in good repair for her school portrait. All students must have their pictures taken for our yearbook. Students will receive envelopes with purchase information in their homerooms. They will return those envelopes directly to the photographer with payment on the day their pictures are made.

MOCK SCHEDULE NIGHT – Save the date! We will have our annual Mock Schedule Night for parents on Thursday, September 1, beginning at 6:30 p.m.; parents should report to their daughter’s homeroom for opening prayer and announcements. We are asking your daughter to text you a picture of her schedule and her homeroom number by the end of the school day on September 1 so you can have it handy for Mock Schedule.

SCHOOL SAFETY WEEK: Next week is officially Assumption High School Safety Week and we will continue practicing our emergency drills during the week as required by Kentucky law. This past Thursday, we began with our all school fire drill. This coming week, we will be reviewing and practicing our lockdown drill, earthquake drill, and severe weather/tornado drill. This is a good time to remind you that in the case of a true emergency/disaster, parents will be notified and kept informed via emergency alerts; students will be released only to their parents or other authorized guardians and will have to be signed out before leaving; students who provide their own transportation to/from school must have parent/guardian permission to leave verified by school personnel prior to leaving, provided it is safe for them to do so. If it is safe to enter the school building, parents will gather in the Marshall Family Atrium to await the release of their daughters; and if the building is not accessible, parents will gather in the back parking lot of on our east campus (former American Legion property) to await the release of their daughters. Please be sure that you are signed up for emergency alerts in PowerSchool and that we have current and accurate contact information for you and others we could call upon if there would ever be an urgent situation involving your daughter. Also, please note that the person you designate as an emergency contact is the person we would contact only if we cannot get in touch with a student’s parents/guardians—the name you provide as the emergency contact should not be the same as either the first or second contact because we will attempt to get in touch with them first/before going to the emergency contact.

DUAL CREDIT COURSE REGISTRATION: Attention, parents of students enrolled in dual credit (DC) courses: If your daughter is enrolled in DC English, she began her registration for this course through University of Louisville this week, and parents will be receiving an email from UL to confirm this enrollment that they must sign and return by next week. All other students enrolled in dual credit classes will be enrolling in the next two weeks. In late September, your daughter will want to keep an eye out for an email from KHEAA to take advantage of the Dual Credit Scholarship, which pays for two classes for every student in the state of Kentucky for BOTH her junior and senior year. If you have questions regarding registration or paying for dual credit courses, Dean of Studies Judy Fieldhouse will be in the cafeteria on Mock Schedule Night to answer your questions. Please stop by and see her!

POWERSCHOOL GRADES: PowerSchool grades are available for your view via your PowerSchool account. The following reminders are important to keep in mind:

  • PowerSchool grades are provided as our first line of communication to our families regarding your daughter’s progress, but it is important to keep in mind that no first semester grades are final until January 2023.
  • As indicated in the Student Parent Handbook, if a student is absent or misses class due to retreat or any other school-related function, we use a PLACEHOLDER ZERO to help her remember to make up this work. This PLACEHOLDER ZERO will be replaced with the actual grade once the student completes the makeup work and the teacher is able to enter it in PowerSchool.
  • Teachers are asked to have grades as up to date as possible by the 1st and the 15th of each month. 
  • If you or your daughter have a question regarding a grade recorded in PowerSchool, please have your daughter reach out to the teacher with her question. You are always welcome to follow up with the teacher as well.

ASSUMPTION PARENT ORGANIZATION (APO) UPDATE: 

  • APO REPRESENTATIVES: Representatives will reach out to all parents by email to introduce themselves and share information on upcoming events and parent involvement/volunteer opportunities.
  • ROCKET SPECTACULAR BENEFIT DINNER AND AUCTION: Mark your calendar for our 42nd Annual Rocket Spectacular, which will take place on Saturday, February 4, 2023. Rocket Spectacular is our largest fundraiser, with all proceeds benefiting the financial needs of our students. We are currently looking for sponsors for this event. Sponsors can be individuals, families, or businesses. More details to come! If interested, please reach out to Michelle Farmer at michelle.farmer@ahsrockets.org or Tricia Ferree at tricia.ferree@ahsrockets.org

ROCKET NIGHT: Join us on Tuesday, August 23, to celebrate past and future Rockets at our Volleyball Rocket Night. Watch the Rockets take on St. Henry with freshman at 5:30, JV at 6:30, and Varsity at 7:30 p.m. The first 100 alumnae and future Rockets will receive a FREE t-shirt! Enter through the main entrance for your shirt and free admission.

GREECE TRIP: Assumption is offering a trip to Greece during Spring Break 2023. Cruise the warm Aegean sea through the Greek Islands. This trip is open to students in the class of 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 and their families. We still have a few spots remaining for this fantastic trip. We will have a trip meeting on Monday, August 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria for those already signed up and for those interested in learning more! Contact Dr. Lisa Wieland at lisa.wieland@ahsrockets.org with any questions.

COLLEGE INFORMATION NIGHT FOR SENIORS AND PARENTS: Kim Habich and Leigh Jackson, college counselors, will be visiting every senior English class August 22 through August 26. Our counselors will provide detailed information about the college application process to every senior. To further assist seniors and their parents with the college process, there will be a college information night for all seniors and parents on Wednesday, August 31, at 6:30 p.m. via Teams. The link for the program will be sent out prior to the event. Admission representatives from a variety of colleges and universities will discuss the college application process. This panel will provide helpful hints and advice to seniors as they begin their own college process. If you have any questions, please contact Kim Habich or Leigh Jackson.

A big congratulations to sophomore Bella Youngblood, whose poem “The Love of Recovery” came in second place in her division in the Kentucky State Poetry Society’s student competition this summer. Also, congrats to Camryn LaRue, class of 2022, for coming in third in her division for her poem “Clown on the Ground”. We are so proud of our Rocket Writers!

Congratulations to:

  • The soccer team for improving to 3-0 over the weekend with wins over Highlands and Newport Central Catholic
  • Varsity Soccer beat Bardstown 5-0, JV won 2-0
  • The volleyball team for opening up their season with a 3-0 win over Male
  • Varsity volleyball beat Presentation 3-0, JV and Freshmen won 2-0

Next week in Athletics:

August 19-27

  • Freshmen, JV, and Varsity Field Hockey @ Sacred Heart Apple Tournament

Monday, August 22

  • Golf match vs Mercy and Providence @ Covered Bridge Golf Course

Tuesday, August 23

  • Golf match vs Oldham County @ Oldham County Country Club
  • Volleyball vs St. Henry. Freshmen 5:30, JV 6:30, Varsity 7:30. ROCKET NIGHT

Thursday, August 25

  • Soccer vs Male. Varsity 6:00
  • Volleyball @ Providence. Freshmen 5:00, JV 6:00, Varsity 7:00

Please follow Rocket Sports on Social media for schedule updates and scores!