September 8, 2023
Executive Director of Advancement, Michelle Farmer
Yesterday we came together as a community for our Walk Kickoff Assembly! The Walk for Assumption is a time when our students come together not only to walk, dress up, celebrate class colors, and share lots of laughter, but it’s also a time that we focus on achieving an important goal together.
This year’s theme is WALK OF FAME, chosen by our Family Council! It’s important to know that all funds raised from the Rocket Raffle ticket sales directly benefit the financial needs of our students and their families. This year, 40% of our student body received some form of tuition assistance, and this number continues to grow.
The Walk for Assumption will take place on Friday, September 22 – just two weeks from now! As we shared with the students yesterday, this is the only schoolwide fundraiser that is hosted in conjunction with our annual Rocket Spectacular Benefit Dinner and Auction. Be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, February 3, 2024! To participate in the Walk, each student needs to sell a minimum of four Rocket Raffle tickets by Wednesday, September 20 (tickets can be turned in during their lunch period). The raffle drawing itself will take place at our Rocket Spectacular Benefit Dinner and Auction, where our $20,000 winner will be announced!
Our schoolwide goal is to sell 3,800 Rocket Raffle tickets. While getting the day off school the Friday before Spring Break as an incentive is awesome, the real excitement comes from achieving this goal together and supporting one another.
All students came home with their tickets and permission slips yesterday. Tickets can be purchased here Rocket Raffle – Assumption High School (ahsrockets.org). They have lots of incentives in addition to a day off to help motivate them to sell! We encourage them to ask friends, family members, and neighbors. We can’t wait for this year’s Walk, and we know that together we can exceed our goal!
Thank you for supporting not only your daughter but our entire Assumption Community. Working together, we all make an impact!
You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home
It is not unusual for members of our community to be asked what it is that sets Assumption High School apart. The Assumption experience is unique because, since 1955, our faculty, staff, and students have committed to working alongside each other to foster a culture of excellence coupled with compassion that students often describe as “Assumption Magic.” There is nothing magical about the intentionality of the choices our faculty and staff make to provide opportunities and experiences inside and outside of the classroom that allow each student to craft an individualized experience to find the best version of herself, all in a place that feels like home. But hearing our students try to sum up the joy they feel in coming to school to work and learn in a community that embraces them feels like magic to us!
The Assumption experience is difficult to put into words, but we believe we have come close to capturing the feeling of it in this video that every member of our community contributed to creating. We believe it provides a taste of what can be experienced when you find your way home to Assumption.
FRESHMAN PARENT MASS: This Mass is a beautiful way to celebrate your freshman daughter’s high school journey as part of a community of faith. It will be celebrated on Sunday, September 10 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Raphael Catholic Church. Please come even if your family isn’t Catholic. We’ll have worship aids and response cards to help you participate. Siblings are invited as well – bring the whole family!
MANDATORY FRESHMAN GUIDANCE PROGRAM: Freshman parents, the last opportunity to attend a mandatory Freshman Parent Drug/Alcohol Education Programs is Monday, September 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Media Center. You do not need to pre-register; just come on the night most convenient for your schedule. This is an important program designed to familiarize you with the school philosophy and policies in the area of drug and alcohol prevention. At least one parent or guardian is required to attend one of these meetings.
CLUB WEEK: Next week we will host our Club Carnival during lunches on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. During LEAD & Learn time this past week, all students had a chance to read about the different clubs offered at Assumption and decide which clubs they will visit during the carnival. Whether she is an animal lover or an adventure seeker, we have a club for your Rocket! We hope you will touch base with her about the clubs that she finds interesting and intends to explore this week. A list of the clubs offered is available in the STUDENT-PARENT HANDBOOK 2023-2024 on page 99. Any questions, please contact KRISTIN WALSH.
PARENT PRAYER: Our parent prayer group will meet on Tuesday, September 12 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. Next week we will be praying for the Booterstown family freshmen and sophomores. Please join us for any or all of these opportunities. All are welcome!
GRANDPARENTS DAY: This holiday is celebrated nationally each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day, but at Assumption, we celebrate it in a special way in October. Please invite all grandparents – and the whole family – to mark their calendars for Assumption’s Grandparents Mass on Sunday, October 22 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Raphael Church.
PRAYER INTENTIONS: The Community of Assumption knows the power of prayer! All AHS parents and alumnae are invited to submit prayer intentions online. These intentions are then lifted in prayer altogether during Five-Minute Prayer in the chapel on Wednesdays and weekly on the PA during morning prayer. If you would like to submit an intention, you can do so here. They will remain there for about two weeks, but feel free to post the same intention again later if needed. Also, you may wish to consider adding the intentions you find there to your own personal prayer!
This coming week during LEAD & Learn, each of our classes will have an opportunity to hear from Mrs. Erica Lasley, our Media Center specialist, in order to promote their love of reading. She will highlight popular books in our Media Center and encourage students to check out hard copies, e-readers, or audio books that interest them. Mrs. Lasley’s book talks are a favorite way to promote our 40 Books Challenge, sponsored by our National English Honor Society, where students can commit to reading 10 books each year of their high school career. Meeting that challenge, students earn coveted prizes as well as learn the values gained by being lifelong readers. Our freshmen, sophomores and juniors will also hear from Mrs. Schuhmann and Mrs. Fieldhouse, our deans of studies, about the importance of our upcoming standardized testing experience on October 11. More information to come regarding this testing day. Finally, we will end our week by celebrating September birthdays and viewing the first broadcast of the year from our RocketLaunch, Assumption’s Digital Broadcast program.
FROM THE GUIDANCE & COUNSELING DEPARTMENT: September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and we wanted to let you know that students will have a suicide prevention program during LEAD & Learn Time later this month. Our focus for this program will be on destigmatizing mental health and providing students with a road map for resources and help. As you continue to dialogue with your daughter on the topics of mental health and suicide prevention, we wanted to provide you with some helpful resources:
Mental health from a teen’s perspective: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BByqa7bhto&t=11s
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org/text-us/
Mental Health resources on our AHS website: https://www.ahsrockets.org/student-life/guidance/guidance-program-resources/
In addition to these resources, please reach out to your daughter’s school counselor if we can provide any support or assistance in the area of mental health.
WALK FOR ASSUMPTION: On Friday, September 22, we will hold our annual Walk for Assumption, an event to which our students make contributions to benefit the financial needs of our students. This year’s theme chosen by the students is “Walk of Fame.” In order to participate in the Walk for Assumption, students must sell a minimum of four Rocket Raffle tickets and turn in a signed Walk permission form. Tickets cost $25 each, and the purchaser is entered into a drawing for $20,000, which will take place at our Rocket Spectacular on Saturday, February 3, 2024. If the school reaches our goal of 3,800 tickets sold, not only will we have an amazing Walk for Assumption, but students will earn the day off from school on Friday, March 29, 2024, the Friday before spring break! We have many more fun incentives that came home on Thursday, September 7, 2023, along with their Rocket Raffle Tickets and Walk permission form. We are encouraging the girls to reach out not only to their parents but to other people in their lives who would like the opportunity to support her and the community of Assumption through the Walk and the Rocket Raffle. We hope that over the next week, you will help your daughter brainstorm ways that she can sell her tickets to help benefit the financial needs of our students and to make the Walk a success! Here is the link that can be shared with your family and friends https://www.ahsrockets.org/rocket-raffle/
Collections of the students’ contributions will take place at lunches the weeks of Monday, September 11, and Monday, September 18. The deadline for collection is Wednesday, September 20 at 1:30 p.m., the last lunch. If you have any questions, please contact Tricia Ferree in Advancement at tricia.ferree@ahsrockets.org.
SEPTEMBER’S WORK IT WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE: The Achievement Center is hosting two more Work It Wednesdays in September in the Media Center from 7:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. This is a great opportunity for students to receive extra support in their classes from peer tutors, study groups, or the AC teachers. It is also the perfect environment to work on homework and projects. Students receive an email each Monday to reserve their spot. Mark your calendar now for September 13 and 20.
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY: On Wednesday this week, sophomores and juniors received an email with information about applying to the National Honor Society. While applications won’t be available to sophomores and juniors until January, now is a great time to encourage your daughters to get involved in clubs. One of the requirements necessary for consideration is current involvement in three clubs. For more information about the criteria students must meet, view this link: NHS Requirements for 2023-24. Questions? Contact Kelly.Kirwan@ahsrockets.org.
MONITOR AND MANAGE YOUR DAUGHTER’S HP ELITE LAPTOP: You should have received an email about apParent, a mobile app available to you at no cost so you can monitor and manage your daughter’s school-issued laptop after school hours. This app, if you want to install it, will allow you to view your daughter’s device screen, lock your daughter’s device with a custom message, and view 24 hours of your child’s web browsing history. Your daughters’ teachers can control their computers from 7:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. You can use the app outside of those hours on school days and all day on weekends and holidays.
DUAL CREDIT REGISTRATION AND KHEAA SCHOLARSHIPS: Mrs. Fieldhouse and/or your daughter’s dual credit teacher will be guiding all students to apply to their partner school over the next two weeks as identified in the email you received this summer describing her dual credit courses. Mrs. Fieldhouse will then visit the dual credit courses beginning in September to give information on how to apply for the KHEAA Dual Credit scholarships for which they are eligible. Please follow this tutorial and reach out to Judy Fieldhouse or Kathy Fleischer if you have any questions regarding dual credit: DUAL CREDIT AND SCHOLARSHIPS TUTORIAL. You will want to ask your daughter to show you her KHEAA site and her scholarship preferences by September 15. We are so thrilled that your daughter is taking advantage of the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school!
CLASSICAL CATHOLIC COLLEGE FAIR: Sophomores, juniors, and seniors have been notified about the Classical Catholic College Fair being held at St. Louis Bertrand Church. The fair is Saturday, September 9 at St. Louis Bertrand Church. The fair runs from 5:30-9:30 pm. Students are encouraged to attend and speak to the admission counselors from the Catholic colleges included in this link.
SCHOOL PICTURES UPDATE: School pictures are available to order online. As stated on the card that your daughter received after she had her picture taken, please go to this link to order her picture: https://shop.studioillumination.com/assumption/
Simply navigate to the Assumption logo, click on underclassman photos, and you will be prompted to enter your daughter’s Assumption Student ID number as the code to access your daughter’s pictures. BIG Photo asks that all orders are placed within 10 days (by the end of day Sunday, September 10) to have the photos delivered to Assumption.
ACADEMIC AWARDS CELEBRATION: Invitations were sent out Thursday morning to parents via SwiftReach for our annual Academic Awards Celebration on Sunday, October 1 at 1:00 p.m. At this celebration, we honor the academic accomplishments of the following groups of students – sophomores, juniors, and seniors who earned a 4.0 GPA during the 2022-2023 school year; newly inducted Beta Club members; newly inducted National Honor Society members; freshman McAuley Scholars and newly inducted McAuley Scholars; and seniors recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. We ask parents to check their email closely for information about attendance and the RSVP deadline of September 15. Due to space limitations, we limit guests to two per student. If you have any questions, please contact KATHY FLEISCHER, registrar.
DRIVER’S ED: AHS and the Kentucky Driving School will be providing a driver’s education program towards the end of September. Click here to learn more.
ASSUMPTION PARENT ORGANIZATION (APO) NEWS: ROCKET SPECTACULAR: We are excited to announce that Saturday, February 3, 2024, will mark the 43rd year of the annual Rocket Spectacular Benefit Dinner and Auction, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate this special occasion with you. This year’s theme is “Bowties and Bubbly.” For questions or information on how to get involved in the 2024 event or to become a Rocket Spectacular Sponsor, please contact Tricia Ferree at tricia.ferree@ahsrockets.org.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES – INTEREST MEETING REMINDERS:
- PARIS TO NORMANDY TRIP – Summer 2025: Assumption is offering a trip to Paris, Normandy, and the castles of the Loire Valley in France from May 31-June 8, 2025. We will have a trip meeting on Sunday, September 17 at 2 p.m. in Room 120 for anyone interested in learning more. Here is the link to view the all-inclusive itinerary: www.educationaltravel.com/Shirley-7508.Feel free to email for any questions at jennifer.shirley@ahsrockets.org
- WORLD WAR II/HOLOCAUST TRIP – Summer 2025: We are excited to announce we will be offering a once-in-a-lifetime educational trip focused on World War II and the Holocaust in the summer of 2025. An information meeting will be held Thursday, September 28 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 305. For more information and to sign up, please visit: www.educationaltravel.com/long-9651/. If you have any questions or need further information, please email beth.long@ahsrockets.org or megan.rose@ahsrockets.org.
ARISE SERVICE TRIPS: ARISE service trips are offered to seniors and take place during Mission Week. Seniors who join an ARISE team will learn about and participate in service, prayer, community, and simplicity while traveling with a team to Auxier, Kentucky; Cincinnati, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; or Queens, New York. We will also offer a local ARISE “trip” that will stay here to do some amazing work through the Passionist Earth and Spirit Center. In the past, seniors have said that their trips are some of the most amazing and profound experiences they had during their time at AHS. If your student is considering participating on an ARISE trip, she, along with a parent/guardian, must attend one of the following informational meetings: Thursday, September 14 at 6:30 p.m. OR Sunday, September 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Media Center. At this meeting we will discuss all the important details that your student and you will need to decide about participating. I hope you will support and encourage your students to consider this wonderful opportunity. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Katie.culver@ahsrockets.org or 502 271-2597.
PSAT ON TESTING DAY: As presented at the junior parent orientation night, all juniors have the opportunity to take the PSAT on testing day, Wednesday, October 11. The PSAT is the practice test for the SAT as well as the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program. The PSAT is OPTIONAL for juniors, but all students are encouraged to test as it will give them an additional test score to compare with their ACT performance and help them determine which test they prefer (ACT or SAT) and will help them choose where to focus their individual test preparation efforts over the next year. The PSAT is now also a digital test that students will be taking on their laptop computer, so this test will also provide them with valuable practice taking a standardized test in a digital setting. Additionally, taking the PSAT as a junior is the sole method for a student to be eligible to participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program and to earn recognition as a National Merit Finalist or Commended Student, which comes with many scholarship opportunities. This is also the gateway test for scholarships offered by some companies and organizations to the children of their employees. Please check with your employer to see if they offer scholarship opportunities through the PSAT/NMSQT program. If students choose to take a college visit instead of the PSAT, they will need to provide verification from the college/university for the day to not be counted as an absence. If they do not take the test nor complete a college visit, this day will be an unexcused absence. Please complete this survey to let us know the plans for your daughter on testing day: PSAT TESTING DAY SURVEY ALL JUNIOR PARENTS MUST RESPOND BY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18.
FRESHMAN WALK SLEEPOVER & WALK COLLECTIONS/PERMISSION FORMS: Next Monday, September 11 in the class meeting, freshmen will receive detailed information about participating in our traditional Freshman Pre-Walk Sleepover. On Thursday, September 21, freshmen are invited to a Walk Sleepover in the gym. The cost of the Walk Sleepover is $5. In order to participate, freshmen need to turn in their Walk permission slip, sleepover permission slip, a minimum of four Rocket Raffle tickets, and $5. The two signed permission slips, tickets, and $5 are due by the end of lunches on Wednesday, September 20. All freshmen are asked to turn in both permission slips even if a freshman is not planning to attend the sleepover. Freshmen should arrive for the sleepover between 8:00-8:30 p.m. and enter through the doors at the gym lobby. Please contact jennifer.ruckriegel@ahsrockets.org or THERESA SCHUHMANN if you have any questions about the Freshman Walk Sleepover. Pick up time on Friday, September 22 will be between 11:45 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
ROCKET ATHLETICS INFO NIGHT: On Wednesday, September 13 we are hosting a Rockets Athletics Information Night for seventh-, eighth-, and current ninth-grade families to meet coaches, players, and parents from all sports. This is a great evening to hear a little bit about our athletic department and make contact with coaches and sports your daughter might be interested in. Fill out this form to let us know you are coming!
Congratulations to:
- The JV and Varsity Volleyball teams for winning the Avon Classic. Additionally, all three volleyball teams beat Mercy.
- The Varsity Soccer team for defeating reigning state champion South Oldham 1-0
NEXT WEEK:
Friday, September 8
- JV Field Hockey @ Border Battle vs Lake Forest (IL) 4:00 p.m.
- Varsity Field Hockey @ Border Battle vs Glenbrook South (IL) 4:30 p.m.
- Varsity Volleyball @ Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament vs Henry Clay 6:30 p.m.
- Varsity Volleyball @ Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament vs Cleveland (TN) 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 9
- Varsity Volleyball @ Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament
- Freshmen Volleyball @ Providence Freshmen Tournament
- Golf @ Taylor County Cardinal Classic @ Campbellsville CC
- JV Field Hockey @ Border Battle vs New Trier 8:00 a.m.
- Cross Country @ Rumble in the Jungle @ Creasey Mahan Preserve 8:30 a.m.
- Varsity Field Hockey @ Border Battle vs New Trier (IL) 10:00 a.m.
- Soccer vs Highlands. JV 11:30 a.m., Varsity 1:00 p.m.
- Varsity Field Hockey @ Border Battle vs Lake Forest (IL) 12:00 p.m.
Monday, September 11
- Golf vs Sacred Heart @ Seneca GC 3:40 p.m. **Senior Night**
Wednesday, September 13
- Freshmen Soccer @ Central Hardin 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 14
- Volleyball @ Sacred Heart. Freshmen 5:00 p.m., JV 6:00 p.m., Varsity 7:00 p.m.
- Field Hockey @ Male. JV 5:30 p.m., Varsity 7:00 p.m.
Friday, September 15
- JV Soccer vs Bowling Green @ Elizabethtown Tournament 8:30 p.m.