December 11, 2020
Dear Parents/Guardians,
During this week’s LEAD and Learn Wednesday, our students participated in career exploration and college preparation activities during our 4th annual Alumnae Career Day. Freshmen used a strength finder tool to determine what strengths they possess and how they fit into potential future careers. They also heard from Assumption alumnae from Bellarmine University’s Career Center about how to be successful in high school and prepare for college. Sophomores and juniors participated in the Alumnae Career Fair where they had the opportunity to hear from professionals in various career fields including Nursing, Social Work, Anthropology, Event Planning, Government, and much more. Seniors focused on higher education and listened to an Academic Advisor from Ohio State University about college planning and picking a major. They also heard from a panel of recent Assumption graduates who spoke about their college experience so far and how Assumption prepared them for their coursework. We were blessed to have 49 Assumptions alums share their expertise and experiences with our students in this virtual experience! Additionally, we are grateful to our advancement and guidance offices for their diligent work to ensure that this year’s Career Day would take place. Their planning provided both the same learning opportunities and experiences as well as some enhanced opportunities as those Career Days that we have offered in-person as students connected with alumnae from all over the country!
As we have done now for the past several months, we continue to monitor the number of COVID-19 positive cases associated with our school and report this information to our school community. As of yesterday, Assumption’s COVID-19 numbers for this week are: (12/3, 12/7, 12/8, 12/9, 12/10)
- 6 new positive COVID-19 cases (students)
- 0 new quarantine cases
- 53 total positive COVID-19 cases as reported to our local department of health as of August 1, 2020 (48 students and 5 staff)
It’s important to note that there have been no known transmissions of COVID here at AHS.
Yesterday, while Kentucky reported the highest ever number of new COVID-19 cases, the state is making progress in the fight against the virus. Overall, the state’s positivity rate declined for the 7th straight day in a row demonstrating that the health and safety measures put in place are working to slow the spread of the disease in our community. Even though this is encouraging news, we need to continue to be vigilant and all do our part to ensure that this positive trend continues. Please continue to talk to your daughter about the importance of maintaining good hygiene, wearing a mask, and practicing physical distancing wherever she goes and limiting her socialization outside of school. In addition, as we head into the Christmas season, we ask that families honor our holiday buffer days so that we can all return to school safely in January.
As a reminder, even though we are now all virtual, AHS has a continuing legal obligation to report any positive cases and quarantines to the Archdiocese, our local department of health, and the State of Kentucky for every day school is in “session”. This applies to faculty, staff, and students. This information is not only needed by local and state authorities but will help us continue to monitor case impact on our school as we plan for the remainder of this year for the start of next semester. Please contact our school nurse Laura Burnam at laura.burnam@ahsrockets.org or at 271-2507 in the event your daughter is under quarantine or has COVID-19 so we can continue to report as required. Again, this is for when school is in session and does not apply to school holidays.
As always, thank you for your support and commitment to the safety of our entire community.
CALENDAR NOTES:
- SCHEDULE: Next week,we will conclude first semester with our traditional all virtual schedule:
- Monday, December 14 – Day 1: All Virtual
- Tuesday, December 15– Day 2: All Virtual
- Wednesday, December 16 – LEAD & Learn: All Virtual
- Thursday, December 17 – Day 3: All Virtual
- Friday, December 18 – Day 4: All Virtual
- SECOND SEMESTER – WEBSITE CALENDAR: The school calendar has been updated for January and February 2021. As previously announced, we will begin second semester with our all virtual schedule January 5-8. We plan to return to our hybrid schedule on Monday, January 11. For planning purposes, we have set the calendar through February at this time. As we have throughout the year, we will continue to monitor the course of the pandemic circumstances and guidance given to us by the Archdiocese of Louisville, the local health department, and the state. As always, we feel confident in our ability to pivot to any of our three learning models as indicated by current circumstances. Website calendar: https://www.ahsrockets.org/events/event/
FROM CAMPUS MINISTRY:
- VIRTUAL ADVENT PRAYER SERVICE: On our LEAD & Learn Wednesday next week, December 16, all students will participate in an Advent prayer service during their regularly scheduled class meeting.
- PARENT PRAYER: The Parent Prayer group will not meet next week. Parent Prayer will resume its weekly schedule on Tuesday, January 12, from 8:30-9:00 a.m. via Zoom.
FIRST SEMESTER GRADE REPORTS: First semester grade reports will be emailed to parents on Tuesday, January 5.
SECOND SEMESTER STUDENT SCHEDULES: Students should follow their schedule in PowerSchool for virtual classes beginning on Tuesday, January 5. Hard copies of the second semester schedules will be given to students during in-person homeroom the week of Monday, January 11. Students have already had the opportunity to schedule a meeting with their deans with any scheduling questions. Drop/Add for second semester elective courses ends on Friday, January 15. Any elective schedule change request must be accompanied by a note or an email from a parent.
SECOND SEMESTER BOOKS: Christmas break is a good time to check and make sure students have all of their second semester books. Please go to https://bnck-12.com/ahsrockets to review this list.
SECOND SEMESTER COHORT CHANGE REQUESTS: As previously announced, we will begin second semester with four days of all virtual learning for all students, January 5- 8. We are currently planning to return to our Hybrid model combining both in-person and virtual learning options on Monday, January 11. We will send all parents/guardians a special message via email on Wednesday, December 30 with a link to a Cohort Change Request Form for Second Semester. We are waiting to send the form until after Christmas so you will be able to have the most current COVID-19 data available as you make a decision about your daughter’s schooling for second semester. At that time, if you would like your daughter to move to a different cohort than what she was in at the end of first semester, you will need to complete and submit the change request form no later than Wednesday, January 6.
DRIVING PERMIT TEST FORM: Kentucky requires that your daughter obtains a School Compliance Form from her high school in order for her to take the driving permit test. If your daughter is planning on taking her permit test over the Christmas break and she has not obtained this form, please contact the school before Friday, December 18 at 4:00 p.m. The office will not open again until Tuesday, January 5 at 8:00 a.m., so please plan ahead to obtain this form to ensure your daughter can take her test at her scheduled time. Per requirements of the DMV, this form can-not be emailed, scanned or fax, therefore, the original copy will need to be mailed or picked up at school. Please call 502-458-9551, option ”0” if you need further assistance regarding this issue.
LEAD & LEARN WEDNESDAY UPDATE: As indicated in the introduction of this Rocket Report, our December 9 LEAD & Learn Wednesday was a busy one as all classes participated in Career Day activities particularly designed to meet them where they are in their career exploration journey. In addition, freshmen had the opportunity to participate in virtual Heart to Heart meetings facilitated by senior retreat leaders and sophomores engaged in training for their virtual ACTS service and participated in their first hour of direct service to students at our partner virtual ACTS agency, Semple Elementary. Next week, all homerooms will gather for a virtual Christmas celebration and each class will meet for an Advent prayer service and class meeting. Freshmen and seniors will continue with their Heart to Heart retreat small group meetings while sophomores participate in Week 2 of ACTS service. Additionally, those juniors and seniors involved in our STOP advocacy program will meet as well.
YEARBOOK DISTRIBUTION: The 2020 yearbooks have arrived! Current sophomores, juniors, and seniors will receive their yearbooks in January. More information regarding distribution will be shared with students through email. Anyone with questions should contact KATIE CULVER.
ACCREDITATION SURVEY: Because of Assumption’s commitment to continuous improvement for excellence, we are currently preparing for a Cognia (formerly AdvancEd) accreditation review in March 2021. Over the next two weeks, we will be surveying students, parents, faculty, and staff. On Monday, a special message email was sent to all parents with a link to a Cognia accreditation survey. If you haven’t done so already, please take 15-20 minutes to take the survey in the link below. This survey is a confidential survey – all responses are anonymous. For best results, it is suggested to open the survey in Chrome browser. Our goal is to have each student represented in the parent survey response, so we ask that at least one parent of each student take the survey – more than one is even better! Please respond to this survey by Friday, December 18. Thank you, in advance, for helping us shape the future of Assumption High School with your feedback. We value your input! Cognia Accreditation Parent Survey: https://eprovesurveys.advanc-ed.org/surveys/#/action/150502/17617
FINANCIAL AID FORM: The financial aid link for 2021-2022 has been added to the school’s website. The due date is February 28, 2021, 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.
OUTSTANDING TUITION AND FEES: As stated in our financial policies, which are contained in the Student-Parent Handbook, a student may not begin the second semester if there is an outstanding balance on the account. Please be sure you have addressed any outstanding balances by December 11, 2020. Payment may be made by certified check or money order. Thank you for your continued cooperation and the many sacrifices you make to send your daughter to Assumption. Questions regarding your account balance should be addressed to the finance director, Lisa Raley, at 271-2520.
RPN NEWS: Would you like to become more involved in the Rocket Parent Network? Please join us for a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, December 15, at 6:00 p.m. to learn more about this group and to make plans for second semester. Here is the Zoom link to join the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88020900980?pwd=RG9BQ2ZXbjVtbnhSNnRSTnZNbCtVdz09. For additional information about this meeting or RPN, please contact dawn.deweese@ahsrockets.org. Please note: This meeting was originally scheduled for Tuesday, December 8. It has been moved to Tuesday, December 15.
ROCKET RAFFLE TICKETS: We are very excited as we kicked off our student ticket sales which benefit financial assistance last week. Our goal is to have another RECORD-BREAKING Rocket Raffle, which will mean another amazing student Walk. This year the Walk for Assumption (which typically takes place in September) will take place in April 2021! This is our largest fundraising event our students participate in each year as a community. The raffle drawing will take place at our Annual Rocket Spectacular Benefit, which will be a virtual experience this year on Saturday, January 30, 2021 (more details to come).
In order to participate in the Walk for Assumption, students must sell a minimum of three Rocket Raffle tickets. Tickets cost $25 each, and the purchaser is entered into a drawing for $20,000! Students who turn in a minimum of three tickets will receive a Walk for AHS T-shirt in the spring and will be eligible for great incentives (these have been shared with your daughters. We are looking for 100% participation!
Due to the recent change to all-virtual instruction, we have provided more dates and times for you to drop off your paper Rocket Raffle ticket stubs/payment and Rocket Spectacular donations. Students or parents may pull up next to the CAC lobby and someone will run out to get them on the following dates and times:
- From 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15; Thursday, December 17; Tuesday, January 5; Thursday, January 7
- From 5:00-6:30 p.m. on Monday, December 14; Wednesday, December 16; Wednesday, January 6
In the meantime, we encourage students to try to sell as many online as possible. https://one.bidpal.net/assumptionrocketspectacular. If you have any questions, please contact Tricia Ferree tricia.ferree@ahsrockets.org.
ASSUMPTION PARENT ORGANIZATION (APO) NEWS: The Rocket Spectacular Virtual Benefit Auction will be held on Saturday, January 30, 2021 from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
DONATIONS: Do you have a connection to a business? We need help in building a great selection of items for our guests to bid on in our auction. Contact Colleen Nawab at colleennawab@gmail.com or Laura Matis at lauramatis@yahoo.com. For more information please go to https://www.ahsrockets.org/support-ahs/rocket-spectacular/
HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT TEST: On Saturday, December 12, at 9:00 a.m., we will welcome prospective incoming freshman students virtually to Assumption for the High School Placement Test (HSPT). We are looking forward to meeting our newest students – the Class of 2025!
FAIR TRADE SHOPPING WEEK: The Environmental Concerns Committee is hosting a fair trade shopping week at Just Creations, 2722 Frankfort Avenue. The ECC will receive 15% of any purchase by an identified AHS supporter from Monday, December 14, through Saturday, December 19. Join the ECC as they support a store that not only protects the rights and dignity of workers but also strives for environmental sustainability! Remember to tell the store clerk you are from Assumption High School. This fundraiser applies to in-store and curbside purchases but not online purchases.
CAMPUS STORE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING: The Assumption online Campus Store has all of your Christmas needs for that special Rocket in your life! Christmas orders must be placed by Monday, December 14. Shipping and curbside pickup are available. Please email lauren.lega@ahsrockets.org or call 502-271-2675 to schedule your pickup appointment.
Gratefully,
Martha Tedesco
Principal