November 7, 2025

I often hear from families expressing gratitude for the gift of an Assumption education for their daughters and for the generosity of our many donors who make it possible. As one of eight children from a working-class family, I understand and share their sentiment. While I didn’t know it then, I realize now that I owe a debt of gratitude to the many nuns who taught me from grade school through college. Their devotion to teaching (and vow of poverty) made it possible for me and my siblings and countless others to receive a life-changing Catholic education.  While it was certainly a sacrifice for my parents to send us to Catholic schools when we were growing up, it was still accessible for most families.    

Keeping Assumption accessible is something at the forefront of our minds and something we work at diligently at each and every day.   We do this through tuition assistance, which comes in many forms, but primarily through financial aid and scholarships which are both funded by our generous supporters.   Over 40% of our students receive some form of assistance to attend AHS.  I’m proud to say that this school year Assumption is providing close to $2 million  in tuition support – an all- time high!  

Ensuring that an Assumption education is within reach of every young woman who wants to be part of our community is such an integral part of our mission that it continues to be a key element of our long-term strategic plan. With that in mind, I encourage students and their families to apply for both financial aid and scholarships. Financial aid applications are being accepted now via FACTS.  For more information regarding our financial aid program, please see here.  Scholarship applications will open next week, on November 15, 2025, and we will share the link to the portal then. Please note that a student must apply for financial aid to be considered for most scholarships.  The deadline for applying for both financial aid and scholarships is January 15, 2026.   

By working together to support our students through these opportunities, we can continue to make an Assumption education accessible and transformative for all. 

STATE CHAMPIONS

Three years. Three titles. One unstoppable team. Our Rocket Runners have blasted past the competition to claim the state championship for the third year in a row! Your grit, speed, and heart inspire us all, thank you for making history again!

ROSE THEATRE FALL PRODUCTION: Rose Theatre Company is proud to present its production of Anastasia. Performances run through Sunday, November 16, and tickets can be purchased at www.cur8.com by searching “Assumption High School.” If you or anyone in your party needs assistance with handicap accessibility, please reach out to us at rose.theatre@ahsrockets.org.  

OPEN HOUSE 2025: We will be hosting Open House on Saturday, November 8, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Families will have the opportunity to receive a personalized tour and meet teachers, students, and other future Rockets as they learn more about our community. They may register online to secure their arrival time here. If your daughter has been asked to work Open House, she received training this past week during RTI time. As always, we want to thank you for your support of this event and sharing it with prospective families!  

OPEN HOUSE HOLIDAY: Monday, November 10, is our Open House holiday, and school will be closed. 

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE: Assumption is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive on Wednesday, November 12 in the school gym. Student donors must be at least 16 years old. Students who are 16 must have parental permission; students 17 and older may give without parental permission. We encourage you to talk with your daughter if she plans to donate and ensure that she understands the importance of eating well and drinking lots of water several days prior to donation day. Taking an iron supplement for a week prior is also recommended.  The Red Cross provides more information for students at this link: Red Cross Student Guide to Blood Donation.pdf.  

  • Parents are welcome to be donors at our drive as well; at this point, we do have some open appointment times. Please contact diane.darst@ahsrockets.org for scheduling if you are interested.  

DRESS DOWN DAY FOR JAMAICA – Jamaica Emergency Relief: The Sisters of Mercy sponsor two schools in Jamaica and suffered terrible destruction during the recent hurricane. Mercy schools are banding together to help provide funds for emergency relief. To do this, Assumption is having a dress-down day on Friday, November 14 to raise money for this cause. For a minimum donation of $3, students can dress down that day according to uniform break guidelines. If you’d like to contribute, please send a donation with your daughter! 

ASSUMPTION PARENT PRAYER: Our parent prayer group will meet on Wednesday, November 12 from 8:15-8:45 a.m. in the chapel. Please park in any open space and enter the school through the main entrance.  We will pray for the Cork juniors and seniors.  Please join us for any or all of these opportunities! 

PRAYER INTENTIONS: All Assumption parents and alumnae are invited to share prayer intentions. Periodically, we will include the line of “prayer intentions posted online by AHS parents and alumnae” as part of our morning prayer over the P.A. Likewise, feel free to include the intentions you find there in your own personal prayer. To participate, please follow this link.  

Our Class of 2029 is ready to take on leadership positions for this school year, and we spent some time in class meeting sharing the details of how student government and elections work at Assumption. Freshman students can run for Family Council (leadership positions with the whole-school experience in mind) and Class Officer (leadership positions with the Class of 2029 in mind).  Interested students were asked to attend an interest meeting to get election details and applications for these positions.  Applications are due Tuesday, November 11 by the end of the school day. We are excited to see how our Class of 2029 serves their class and our school this year and beyond! 

AP EXAMS: If your daughter is taking an AP course this year, she has been busy signing up for AP exams and AP portfolio submissions. These AP courses will be administered the first few weeks of May at Assumption High School. AP exam and AP portfolio submission invoices will be sent to parents via email from Blackbaud Tuition Management in January. If you paid your tuition in full in July, please also be on the lookout for this email as you will need to make this payment.  Please take a moment to talk with your daughter about the exams she is registered to take.  Exams and art portfolio submissions are $99 each. For more information about AP exams and CollegeBoard, visit https://parents.collegeboard.org/college-board-programs/advanced-placement-program. Please contact Judy.Fieldhouse@ahsrockets.org or Jenny.Friedenberg@ahsrockets.org if you have any questions. 

TESTING ALERT SYSTEM ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12: We will conduct our annual test of our weather and emergency alert system on Wednesday, November 15 at 5:05 p.m. All parents who have set their options in PowerSchool/ SchoolMessenger will be sent a test message to their email and/or phone via text or voice. We strongly suggest following these ​pdf icon directions in advance to ensure your settings are correct.  If you do not receive the message as expected, please double-check your options by following the above directions or contacting our IT Department for assistance. Please email Brent Miller or call him at 502-271-2527. 

SOME REMINDERS ABOUT ABSENCES: Assumption no longer distinguishes between excused and unexcused absences. A student is considered absent from her class if she is not present for the class. Please keep this in mind as you are making holiday plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Students are required to provide a doctor’s note for any absence, along with absences just before or after an extended break from school. Without a doctor’s note, the absence will automatically count towards your daughter’s semester attendance. Please remember that all attendance-related information should be communicated by emailing attendance@ahsrockets.org or by calling the Attendance office at 502-271-3500. Please leave a message if Mrs. Way does not answer, as she may be with a student. She gets notified of the messages and checks them all day. Full details about our attendance and absence policies and procedures can be found in the STUDENT-PARENT HANDBOOK.   

GOING HOME SICK: On a related note, if your daughter contacts you during the day telling you that she is sick and needs to come home, please do not just come to school to pick her up. Instead, please inform her to go to the nurse’s office and make our school nurse, Mrs. Way, aware of the situation. She will assess the situation from a medical perspective and then give you an update and let you know if you should come to take your daughter home or make arrangements for her to be seen by a doctor. 

GOVERNOR’S SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS: Applications for GSA are available now! This program is open to sophomore and junior students interested in the performing, visual, and creative arts. The application deadline is Sunday, January 18, 2026, and information can be found HERE. Interested students should sign up for one of the webinars found at the link and contact their guidance counselor for additional information.  

FRESHMAN-SOPHOMORE SEMIFORMAL DANCE: We hope that our freshmen and sophomores are looking forward to attending this year’s dance for their classes on Saturday, November 22, which will be held from 8:00-11:00 p.m. in the gym. This dance is a traditional semiformal school dance, and students may choose to bring a guest if they wish. Some important highlights include:  

  • Tickets are $20 per person and must be purchased in advance.  No tickets will be sold at the door.  Every student and her guest must have a ticket. 
  • Tickets will be sold during lunches beginning Tuesday, November 17. 
  • To ensure student safety, all students and guests must arrive by 9:00 p.m. and stay at the dance until 10:30 p.m.  
  • All Assumption students must show their student ID when entering the dance.  
  • All students and their guests will be monitored with the use of a passive alcohol sensor. 
  • Information about dance dress code requirements has been reviewed and emailed to each student.  

ROCKET SPECTACULAR BENEFIT DINNER AND AUCTION 2026: Saturday, February 7, 2026. Mark your calendar–you won’t want to miss it! This event will SELL OUT. This year’s theme is “Sapphire Soirée,” and plans are underway!  We are currently looking for event sponsors. If interested, please contact Michelle Farmer at 502.271.2518 michelle.farmer@ashrockets.org. We also need your help with donations toward our silent and live auctions as well as the bourbon pull. Please contact sarah.brady@ahsrocket.org if you are interested in helping.  Watch for more details in the coming weeks.  We hope to see you there! 

TRAVEL – 2027: 

  • FRANCE AND ITALY INTERNATIONAL TRIP:  Bonjour! Assumption Rockets are traveling to Paris, Nice, and the Italian Riviera during spring break in 2027.  Imagine receiving the gift of travel for Christmas this year!  We have an extended sale for Black Friday during November!  From today until November 20, you can still sign up and save $300.  We have an informational meeting scheduled ONLINE only for Wednesday, November 12 at 6 p.m. Below is the link to join the meeting as well as the link to view the trip and enroll.  All current students and their adult family members are welcome to enroll. If interested, please contact Madame Shirley at jennifer.shirley@ahsrocket.org. Copy the following into your browser to view the trip details: educationaltravel.com/Shirley-4360  

Teams Meeting ID: Meeting ID: 242 378 132 841 7 & Passcode: 5Ef7ke2r 

  • HAWAII HISTORY AND CULTURE TRIP: We are excited to announce a once-in-a-lifetime educational trip, Hawaii History and Culture, from June 7-13, 2027.  This trip will explore the historical, cultural, and geographical highlights of the region. The trip will begin in Honolulu with a visit to Pearl Harbor and the U.S.S Arizona, a tour on the surrender deck of the U.S.S Missouri, and a Honolulu sightseeing tour.  Other activities near Honolulu include a visit to Diamond Head and a catamaran snorkel cruise.   The trip continues in North Shore with visits to Nu’uana Pali Lookout, a Polynesian cultural center and a luau dinner.  In Hilo, we will hike and visit Akaka Falls, visit Imiloa Astronomy Center, and a stop at Rainbow Falls. Our trip concludes in Kona with a visit to Volcanoes National Park, Punalu’u Black Sand Beach, and a Historic Kona Town Scavenger Hunt. This trip is open to all students in the Class of 2028, Class of 2029, and the upcoming Class of 2030. To learn more about this fabulous trip, attend an informational parent meeting on Thursday, November 20 at 6:30 p.m. in room 305.   The meeting will also be available via Teams using the information below. If you have any questions or need further information, please email Beth Long at beth.long@ahsrockets.org Teams Meeting ID:  263 440 376 437 2 & Passcode: rf3mY2mJ 

COLLEGE APPLICATION DEADLINE REMINDERS: If your daughter is applying to a college with a December 15 deadline, her application must be submitted to the college, and her TRAC form is due to Guidance by Tuesday, November 18.  If you have any questions about the college application process or deadlines, please reach out to Leigh Jackson  (A-L) or Kim Habich  (M-Z).   

GRADUATION INFORMATION – GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS: Information regarding graduation announcements and other 2026 graduation items from Jostens was shared with the seniors on Tuesday, November 4.  Please be sure to check with your daughter about the information she received during her class meeting this week. Orders may be placed online at Jostens.com or using the QR code below. Order by November 21 for delivery before Spring Break.  Free shipping on all orders over $200.  If you have any questions, you may contact our Jostens rep at (502)499-7100. 

Our Varsity Quick Recall Team for defeating Sacred Heart Academy 30-10 this week! Our top scorers were Elise Crump and Lily Combs.  Additional contributions by Nikita Nair, Olivia Harris, Kate Jarboe, Piper Kuhn, Agnes Boyer, and Mari Treese all put points on the board. 

Fall Athletics Signing Day: Assumption will host a signing day ceremony for seniors who are committed to play their sport in college.  The ceremony will be held in the gym on Tuesday, November 18 starting at 3:30 p.m. 

Congratulations to:

  • The Cross Country team for winning the state championship.  This is the team’s third consecutive state championship and tenth in school history. Congratulations to Mabel George, Caitlin Perkins, Taylor Mills, Maura Ferguson, Kinsley Yaden, Taryn Tracy, and Ella Spalding for running in the meet. 
  • The Volleyball team for beating Sacred Heart to win the Regional Tournament.   The team also beat Mercy in the first round of the state tournament to advance to the quarterfinals. 

Next Week: 

Saturday, November 8 

  • Volleyball State Semifinals @ George Rogers Clark 11:00 a.m. 
  • Volleyball State Finals @ George Rogers Clark 7:00 p.m. 

Sunday, November 9 

  • Dance Regionals @ Daviess County. Hip Hop 4:30 p.m., Jazz 6:55 p.m. 

Thursday, November 13 

  • Flag Football vs Butler @ PRP 8:00 p.m.