January 12, 2024

Tricia Ferree, Manager of Special Events and Volunteers 

As we kick off 2024 and start a new semester, one event that is on everyone’s mind and is less than a month away is our 43nd Annual Rocket Spectacular Benefit Dinner and Auction – Bow Ties & Bubbly. The event will be held here at Assumption on Saturday, February 3, and always SELLS OUT in advance! All event proceeds benefit our students’ financial needs; currently one third of our students receive financial assistance. This is our largest fundraiser of the year, and there are many ways for YOU to support this effort!   

We are still collecting donations for our live and silent auctions. Please contact us at 271-2519 if you are interested in donating, supporting or if have any questions. Most importantly, we would like to invite you to join us for one of the most fun evenings in Louisville (according to past attendees). Each year, more than 450 individuals join us for a night of high energy and great company where you walk away feeling inspired! You can reserve individual tickets or reserve a table by January 17. Reserve your tickets now before they are gone! CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR ROCKET SPECTACULAR 2024 TICKETS!   We hope to see you there! 

Assumption Guidance and Counseling Department

Did you know that the Assumption Guidance and Counseling Department has a dedicated staff of seven full-time employees? As second semester begins, we wanted to remind you that this team of amazing women who are able to meet students’ needs from a personal perspective and are focused on helping them achieve their academic and co-curricular goals. And don’t forget to join them on Facebook and/or Twitter to stay up to date with deadlines and counseling programming for students of all grade levels.  On Facebook, “like” the Assumption Guidance Parent Page.  On Twitter, follow @AHSGuidanceDept. Click here to learn more about our Guidance and Counseling team!  

UPCOMING HOLIDAY REMINDER: On Monday, January 15, school will be closed for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. 

LEARNING DIFFERENCES COLLEGE ACCOMODATIONS PANEL: This Sunday, January 14, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. in the Learning Support Center, members of the Learning Differences Program will host a panel of former students that were part of this program. The students will discuss which college/university they are currently attending and the accommodations being used as well as offered at the post-secondary level. The alumni will discuss various college issues for students with learning differences. This will be a great opportunity for you and your daughter to listen to their personal stories, discuss the challenges/successes of college, and ask alums various questions about their experiences. This meeting will be in the Learning Support Center, so please use the main entrance at the Atrium, and an ambassador will greet you! 

CALENDAR CHANGE TO SECOND SEMESTER: We have made a change to our school calendar: Wednesday, February 14, will be an 8:15 schedule due to our Ash Wednesday Prayer Service. A revised version of our one-page calendar is available here: ONE PAGE AHS CALENDAR 

PARENT PRAYER: Parent Prayer will not meet next week due to the MLK, Jr. Holiday. 

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 all together 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! 

We are looking forward to another exciting semester of LEAD & Learn time for our students. As a reminder, our LEAD & Learn time takes place in the middle of the day typically from 11:10-11:35. This time provides an opportunity for class meetings, advising, announcements, leadership development, guidance curriculum, and so much more.  

This week we have been busy focusing on the new year and setting ourselves up to take “every chance we get.”  Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors spent some time in homeroom coming up with a one-word intention for the year.  This serves as a positive reminder of the opportunity that comes with new beginnings.  Students crafted a beaded lanyard-chain to wear each day to serve as a symbol of that reminder to herself and to those around her.  Our class of 2024 spent some time in homeroom working on how to make this semester their best yet.  They will work to put together a video time capsule of their four years as a homeroom that will be shown at Senior Celebration in May.  We look forward to seeing how their Assumption Family has connected over four years!  

Finally, all homerooms had a chance to provide feedback to their student leaders to reset and look forward to the rest of the school year.  Our student leaders, serving as conduits for change and school culture, will use that feedback to guide their work for the school in their next leadership workshop later this month.  

Next week is future-focused for all grade levels as our seniors will hear from the school Balfour representative about graduation orders as well as connect with Mrs. Abby Martin, our Manager of Annual Fund and Alumnae Relations, about what it means to be an alumna of Assumption.  Juniors will receive important reminders about their job shadow experience coming up during Mission Week in February, and our sophomores will hear from our college counselors, Mrs. Kimberly Habich and Mrs. Leigh Jackson, about some work they can be doing to be college ready.  

INCLEMENT WEATHER: With snow in the future forecast, we would like to remind parents of our inclement weather policies.  You may also refer to the STUDENT-PARENT HANDBOOK 2023-2024 for 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 schools are closed, Assumption High School will declare a traditional snow day, virtual learning day, or a digital learning day via the PowerAlert system. The first snow day of the 2023-2024 school year will be a traditional snow day with no digital or virtual learning. When school is closed, all extracurricular and athletic events are cancelled (unless a special exception is approved by the president or principal). 
  • When the school is on a delayed schedule, Assumption will follow our 9:15 a.m. 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 before school supervision will begin in the cafeteria at 8:15 a.m. 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 email or because their carpool driver is going home early. This information will be reviewed with students in November. 

FIRST SEMESTER REPORT CARDS: First semester report cards were emailed to parents on Monday, January 8. If you believe you have not received your daughter’s report card, please check your junk mail folder as emails from Assumption are sometimes diverted to these folders. If it is not in that folder, please contact our registrar, KATHY FLEISCHER, for assistance. 

DROP/ADD DEADLINE: Drop/Add for second semester elective courses ends on Wednesday, January 17. Any elective schedule change request must be accompanied by a note from a parent.   

SPRING DUAL CREDIT CLASSES: If your daughter is enrolled in a Spring 2024 Dual Credit class, she will be filling out an application in the next two weeks and will need to have a parent signature on at least one form.  If your daughter is taking DC PreCalculus, DC Calculus, DC Public Speaking, DC English IV, DC French, DC Intro to Business, DC Personal Finance, DC World Religions, DC Foundations of Instructions, or DC Human Development and Learning, please talk to your daughter about any parent forms that need to be completed and if she still has remaining KHEAA scholarships to pay for these courses.  She can log into her KHEAA account HERE.  If you have any questions, please contact Judy.Fieldhouse@ahsrockets.org 

WORK IT WEDNESDAY: On January 17 from 7:45 to 9:00 a.m., the Achievement Center will be hosting our annual “Out with the Old, in with the New” event for our first Work It Wednesday of the new year. Students are encouraged to come and clean out their binders and computer files to get ready for the new semester. Organizational help and supplies will be provided. We ask students to please RSVP in advance.  Please also note January’s upcoming WIWs on the 24th and 31st.  

ATTENDANCE: Please be sure to contact the school if your daughter will be absent or needs to arrive to school late. Absences must be reported to the attendance office so that we are informed of the safety and well-being of your child. Please call the school or email attendance@ahsrockets.org to report absences or planned late arrivals. In addition, planned absences must be reported to the attendance office at least one week prior to the absence. Request for approval of planned absences can be submitted to attendance@ahsrockets.org. Please note that absences prior to and right after holidays/breaks require a doctor’s note to be excused. Special circumstances can be communicated in email to Kamaria Wesley, dean of students, at Kamaria.Wesley@ahsrockets.org. 

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS: Scholarship applications for the 2024-2025 school year are now on our website. Applications are due via email by 8:00 p.m. on January 15, 2024, via this link: Scholarship-Directory-2024-2025.pdf (ahsrockets.org). Our Advancement Services Manager, Jackie Bloyd, is happy to answer any questions you may have about scholarships or the application and awards process and can be reached at Jackie.Bloyd@ahsrockets.org.    

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY (NHS) APPLICATIONS: In September, Mrs. Kelly Kirwan communicated to sophomores and juniors via class meeting and email basic details about selection and membership into the National Honor Society. On Monday, January 8, all sophomores and juniors received an email regarding the NHS application process. If a student is interested in applying, she must meet the following criteria: 1) have at least a 3.70 unweighted cumulative GPA; 2) have no more than one demerit on her discipline record at the time records are checked; 3) show demonstrated involvement in school extracurriculars and activities; 4) show outstanding experience in leadership; and 5) demonstrate documented service hours on MobileServe. Sophomores must show a minimum of 20 hours, and juniors must show a minimum of 40 hours. These hours cannot include sophomore ACTS. If a student meets these initial criteria and wishes to apply, she MUST attend a mandatory meeting which serves as a guide through this selective process. Three different meeting times will be offered. Each meeting will cover what can and cannot be considered for the application and will explain the expected commitment to NHS if a student is selected. NHS is an organization that requires students to be actively involved. Students already inducted and granted membership in NHS do NOT need to attend one of these meetings or re-apply to the organization. The meeting dates are Thursday, January 18 at 7:25 a.m. (chapel); Thursday, January 18 at 3:10 p.m. (chapel); or Wednesday, January 24 at 8:25 a.m. (chapel). Parents, please ensure that your daughter accommodates her schedule (transportation, work, practices, etc.). Meetings will last about 30 minutes. Applications are due to Guidance by 3:10 p.m. on Thursday, February 22 (the Thursday before Mission Week). NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS DEADLINE! Questions about applying to NHS can be directed to NHS adviser KELLY KIRWAN. 

FINANCIAL AID FORM: The financial aid link for the 2024-2025 school year has been added to the school’s website. The due date is January 31, 2024, and the form must be submitted online to FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment.  FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION LINK. As a reminder, you are required to file every year to receive assistance. 

Save the date! COLLEGE WORKSHOP AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION FOR SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS, AND PARENTS: Attention, all sophomore and junior parents and students – please mark your calendars for a college workshop on Thursday, February 1 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. This event will be IN PERSON. Parents and students will have the opportunity to choose from breakout sessions on topics such as Mastering the College Application Essay, Helpful Strategies for Standardized Testing, the Governor’s Scholars Program, Purposeful Planning and Course Selection, and many more. If you have any questions, please contact LEIGH JACKSON or KIMBERLY HABICH, our college counselors. 

ASSUMPTION ROCKET MEN (ARM):  We encourage you (an AHS father, father of alumna[e]), grandfather, or father figure) to be a part of this group! This organization helps with school needs and events on an as-needed basis. If interested, use this link: https://forms.office.com/r/2MRUDyR5EJ Questions? Contact Tricia Ferree tricia.ferree@ahsrockets.org or Chad Dierken at 502.939.3175. 

AHS FACILITIES/CUSTODIAL TEAM JOB OPPORTUNITY:  Assumption is seeking a full-time staff member to join our facilities/custodial team.  School experience preferred but we will train the right person with a can-do attitude.   Monday through Friday with occasional weekends for events. Email Michael Clark at Michael.Clark@ahsrockets.org if interested.  AHS offers a great work environment including competitive salary and benefits and a 50% tuition discount for employee’s daughters. Assumption High School is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. 

GRADUATION INFORMATION – GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS: Information regarding graduation announcements and other 2024 graduation items from Balfour will be shared with seniors on Tuesday, January 16. Please be sure to check with your daughter about the information she received during her class meeting this week. All orders will need to be made online at www.Balfour.com.  If you have any questions, you may contact our rep at (502)376-4192. 

FEDERAL APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA®) FORM: The 2024–25 FAFSA form is available periodically as part of a soft launch. During the soft launch, the FAFSA form will be accessible for short periods of time while the site is monitored for performance and form functionality. There will be pauses for site maintenance and for technical updates as needed over the next few weeks. This site provides more information.  

Before completing the FAFSA, students and parents should complete the Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID process. Students and parents are encouraged to create an FSA ID at least two weeks prior to completing the FAFSA. To create an FSA ID, the individual will need his/her Social Security number and a mobile phone number and/or email address. Students should not use their Assumption email for this process. KHEAA, our state agency, has created the following tools to assist students and parents with the FSA ID and the FAFSA.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to college counselors Kimberly Habich and Leigh Jackson. 

SERVICE HOURS:  Juniors who are in Catholic Social Teaching this semester will have 15 service hours to complete as part of their class curriculum. Their service commitment form, which needs to be signed by a parent, is due next Friday, January 19. This form, the syllabus with all the due dates and requirements, and a long list of approved agencies can be found on Student SharePoint. 

Save the dates! SENIOR RING INFORMATION: Our Balfour representative will be visiting during all lunches on Tuesday, January 16 for students to ask questions and shop class rings in person. The deadline to order from Balfour is Thursday, February 1. 

ACTS SERVICE BEGINS NEXT WEEK: This is just a reminder that students will begin Sophomore ACTS next Wednesday January 17. For the next nine weeks, students will return to their ACTS agencies to do service for the entire school day. Please help your student to remember to wear her Assumption uniform pants, pack her lunch, and wear a coat if it is cold. Thank you for your support of this program!  

 

SPRING SPORTS TRYOUTS: 

  • Lacrosse: February 12-14 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Assumption Green 
  • Tennis: Friday, February 16 from 3:45-5:15 p.m. at Louisville Indoor Racquet Club 

Congratulations to:

  • The Varsity Basketball team for beating Manual 77-56.  This is the team’s first win over Manual since 2007. The Rockets were led by T Morris with 27 points and Lauren Campisano with 22.  The JV team also finished as runner-up at the Montini Christmas Tournament in Chicago.  

January 12 -13  

  • Archery @ St. Albert East End Xtravaganza @ Waggener High School 

Saturday, January 13 

  • Basketball @ Simon Kenton. JV 1:30pm, Varsity 3:00 p.m. 
  • Swim and Dive @ Rock the Block @ UofL 

Tuesday, January 16 

  • Basketball vs North Bullitt. Freshmen 5:00 p.m., JV 6:00 p.m., Varsity 7:30 p.m..  **Cheer and Dance Senior Night** 

Friday, January 19 

  • Varsity Basketball @ Male 5:30 p.m.  
  • Swim and Dive @ Center Grove @ Greenwood, IN 

Saturday, January 20 

  • Basketball vs Tates Creek. JV 2:00 p.m., Varsity 3:30 p.m.  **Senior Night** 
  • Swim and Dive @ Brown Bear Spring @ UofL