Greetings Ospreys,

As a reminder Monday is a Professional Development Day for staff, with no classes for studetns. We look forward to welcoming students back to the Nest on Tuesday.

Animas creatives and thespians have been busy in the past week! Congratulations to the Osprey Theatre Company and Radbunkulous Improv Troupe, made up of students in Joy Kilpatrick and Oliver Kennedy's elective classes, for an excellent two night run at the Durango Arts Center last weekend.

Thank you to the Union Social House for providing a filming location for Oliver's Comedic Performance and Drew Semel's Film Production students last Sunday and Monday. In a cross-class collaboration, Drew's students served as the film crew as Oliver's students performed an original script they've penned this semester. We look forward to the premier of the film project in May--stay tuned for details.

We love seeing our performing arts program growing and thriving in cool new ways!

Parents and caregivers who joined us this morning for the April TWIGS Coffee shared their appreciation for all of the special programming and events that are coming up in the final 7 weeks of the school year.

Each grade level has something special on the horizon:

• The 9th Grade Camping trip to Ute Mountain Tribal Park, May 7-9, is designed to explore the history and culture of the Ancestral Puebloans, build stronger relationships with peers and staff and apply Humanities studies on myth and storytelling. We are in search of a trailer to help ensure we have sufficient space for all gear; contact ashley.carruth@animashighschool.com if you have one to lend.

• Sophomore Inspire Week, April 25 through May 1, which will help 10th graders develop valuable professional skills while partnering with community organizations for service-learning

• LINK Internships for juniors, May 1-21, where students will be engaged in full-time work-based learning for 3 weeks, during which time they do not attend AHS classes. Stay tuned for more details about the Junior Spring Exhibition of Learning, scheduled for April 25, since they will still be on LINK during All School Exhibition.

• Senior Project Action Projects for seniors now through May 17, moving their research into practice in service of others...and, of course, Graduation on May 24!

We are just over a month away from All School Exhibition on Thursday, May 16, which means all students are in the final weeks of classes, wrapping up the last projects of the year.

Tomorrow morning, we'll welcome over 60 students and their families alongside college admissions representatives to the Nest for the 2024 Application Case Study Workshop and Career Fair. Huge shout out to our Dean of College and Career Counseling, Erin Cummins-Roper for designing and coordinating the event, which is a great opportunity for not just Ospreys, but students and families from the region to learn more about what admissions committees do behind the scenes when reviewing applicants' materials and making the difficult decisions about who gets accepted. The case studies will be followed by a panel discussion and a mini college fair.

It's not too late to choose to attend, and the event is open to all 9th through 12th graders in the region.

Next Week's Events

On Tuesday, April 16 from 2:45-4:00pm, juniors Cassidy Hayden and Kira Lemley are partnering with the League of Women Voters to host a voter registration event on campus. Students aged 16-17 can pre-register to vote and anyone 18 or older can register. All that is needed is your social security number and address, plus proof of identification, such as a driver's license. Make sure to show up, it only takes a few minutes to register and become an engaged citizen!

Thanks to the Bluegrass in the Schools program of the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, we'll enjoy a lunchtime concert Wednesday with popular local four-piece band Bluegrouse.

During Advisory after lunch on Wednesday, faculty will present Fall 2024 Osprey Blocks, giving students a chance to explore the wide range of options available for this 3-week block course, which will take place September 17 through October 3. Look for video descriptions coming from our student journalists next week!

All 9th through 11th grade students will participate in grade-level appropriate SAT testing next week, assessing reading, writing and math skills via this suite of college entrance exams. All testing will be online using the College Board BlueBook app, using either school or personal computers.



• 9th grade: PSAT8/9 Friday at 8:30am
• 10th grade: PSAT10 on Wednesday at 8:30am
• 11th grade: SAT on Thursday at 9:25am

Testing will take place during core class periods, and core classes will not meet on testing day. Students are expected to attend electives, Advisory and XBlock on the day they are testing. Please help students arrive on time, well rested and fed to set them up for success! Students who are absent on their grade-level P/SAT testing day will have the opportunity to test on Wednesday, April 24.

2024/25 Student Schedules

Course requests will take place in core classes, with support from our faculty via Infinite Campus starting April 22. Read more here to learn more about Fort Lewis College dual enrollment classes and other options for advanced coursework.

New families will receive step-by-step instructions about how to use Infinite Campus parent accounts to help their students submit course requests in early May.

2023/24 AHS Yearbooks

Purchase a yearbook directly from Jostens for $40 by May 20. Check out the front cover, designed by sophomore Devin Osman!

Fall 2024 Enrollment

Fall 2024 Enrollment is now open for new 9th through 12th graders, with limited seats in each grade and a waitlist for our 9th grade. Families considering AHS for next school year are strongly encouraged to visit our campus or attend an online information session. The next Campus Tour is Tuesday, April 16 at 5:30pm. View all dates and RSVP here.

Current 9th, 10th, and 11th grade families, please complete re-registration using these steps as soon as possible to ensure we have an accurate count of open seats for next year. Email libby.cowles@animashighschool.com with enrollment questions.

Have a great long weekend and thanks for all you do to help the Ospreys soar!

Upcoming Events

Application Case Study Workshop: Sat. 4/13, 9am to 12:15pm

Professional Development Day (no school): Mon. 4/15

Energy Project Field Trip (10th grade): Tues. 4/16

PSAT10 (10th grade): Wed. 4/17, 8:30am

SAT (11th grade): Thurs. 4/18, 9:25am

PSAT8/9 (9th grade): Fri. 4/19, 8:30am

Energy Project Field Trip (10th grade): Fri. 4/19

Animas Wilderness Experience: Fri. 4/19 through Thurs. 4/25

TWIGS Event: Increasing Protective Factors to Support Teens: Tues. 4/23, 6pm

P/SAT Make Up Day: Wed. 4/24, 8:30am

NEST Meeting: Wed. 4/24

Rising Senior College Night (11th grade): Wed. 4/24, 5:30pm at Fort Lewis College

Junior Spring Exhibition of Learning, Thurs. 4/25, 5-7pm

Sophomore Inspire Week (10th grade): Thurs. 4/25 through Wed. 5/1

AHS Prom: Sat. 4/27, 8-10pm at Durango Elks Lodge

TWIGS Happy Hour: Fri. 5/1, 6pm at 11th Street Station

LINK Internships (11th grade): Wed. 5/1 through Tues. 5/21

Professional Development Day (no school): Mon. 5/6

Class Trip to Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park (9th grade): Tues. 5/7 through Thurs. 5/8

Teacher Appreciation Week: Tues. 5/7 through Fri. 5/10

TWIGS Parent Coffee: Fri. 5/10, 8:30am

All School Exhibition: Thurs. 5/16, 4-7pm

Graduation: Fri. 5/24, 4pm at Community Concert Hall

Transitional Presentations of Learning: Tues. 5/28 through Thurs. 5/30

Last Day of School: Thurs. 5/30