NOTAM 1 November 2010

01 November 2010

Message from the Principal:

Thank you again to everyone for making our visitors from Dayton Regional STEM school feel so welcomed last week. In our debriefing with their principal and staff late Friday afternoon, we heard the following compliments about your skills and your character:

• public speaking skills: their #1 compliment was “Your students are so articulate!”
• friendliness & helpfulness: They commented about how comfortable you appeared in hosting visitors, sharing your learning, and simply saying “hello” even when you were just passing them in the hallways.
• engagement in and passion for learning: You impressed our visitors with your ability to explain what you were learning versus what you were doing; how you would apply it; next steps in the learning process.
• the clarity of your purpose and your goals: They also mentioned your ability to clearly articulate why you came to Aviation High School and your goals for college and career. This clarity was a big ‘take away’ for them that they will begin to incorporate with their own students.
• your respectful demeanor: More than one commented, “They are so nice!”

You are all of these good things and more, so give yourselves a well-deserved pat on the back. I am immensely proud of you!

Congratulations to:

• Jordan Stivers, a senior, and Sean Romanczuk, a graduate of AHS’s Class of 2009, for earning their Eagle Scout!
• The Skunkworks Robotics Team for sponsoring a very fun and successful spaghetti dinner and auction last Friday evening!
• National Honor Society for sponsoring a blood drive last week that resulted in 34 donors, 21 who were first-time donors. According to the rep from the Puget Sound Blood Bank, “Each unit of blood is divided into three separate components (red blood cells, platelets and plasma) and is given to different patients for various reasons. This means that donors from AHS helped save the lives of over 90 people!” Way to go, AHS blood donors, and special thanks to Faiza, Alma, Melissa, and Danielle for leading and managing this event!
• Speech & Debate team for their outstanding results at the Gig Harbor tournament this past weekend. Five teams competed, and Albert Ta and Hayk Saakian placed third with a 4-1 record. Other team members—Jenny Gao and Libanos Redda, Matt Iverson and Karan Singh, Amela Jazvin and Katie McConville, and Serena Simkus and Abdul Firoz had a 3-2 record. Albert also got 5th place out of 24 competitors in Extemp and 9th place out of 40 in Impromptu. It’s on to Whitman this Friday and Saturday, the first really big tournament of the year, according to Coach Shiroma. We’ll be cheering for you!

There are some particularly important dates coming up:

1. Thanksgiving break is just around the corner, and this year you will have Wednesday, 24 November off in addition to Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, 25 Nov) and Friday (26 Nov). Wednesday, 24 Nov will be a non-student day because we are scheduling student-led conferences on two separate evenings: Tuesday, 16 November and Monday, 22 November (equivalent to one full day of school). (Note that the calendar originally published in the student handbook at the start of the school year did not include 24 Nov as a non-student day.)
2. Our annual PTSA-sponsored auction is quickly approaching. Saturday, 13 November is the date and the location is the Museum of Flight. If you haven’t heard about this wonderful event and want to help out or attend, please contact our auction chair, Teri Katzer, at tkatzer@msn.com or find more information on the PTSA website at http://www.aviationptsa.org.
3. This Friday, 5 November, is the last day of fall quarter. It’s also the due date for applications to Washington Aerospace Scholars!

Here’s to learning and achievement! My best to all of you as we wind down one quarter and ramp up for the next! I am honored to be your principal. ~Reba

NOTE:
o Continue checking the AHS website or logging on to school computers to get updated information on events and meetings

Quote of the Week: Or rather…a poem:

Working Together
by David Whyte

We shape our self to fit this world
and by the world are shaped again.

The visible and the invisible
working together in common cause,
to producethe miraculous.

I am thinking of the way the intangible air
passed at speedround a shaped wing
easily holds our weight.[*]

So may we, in this life trust
to those elementswe have yet to see
or imagine,and look for the true
shape of our own self, by forming it well
to the great Intangibles about us.

[*] As we all know, lift on an airfoil is not solely generated Bernoulli’s principle as implied by the poem. Despite the artistic license the author has taken with the physics of lift, his metaphor still works well (and may even work better).

NOTAM 25 Oct 2010

Message from the Principal:
“Company’s coming!” Growing up, I loved hearing these two words from my mother because it meant that our home would soon be filled with relatives and friends who would engage in story-telling, game playing, musical performances by the entertainers in the family, and delicious meals prepared by my mother (fried chicken was my favorite!). Of course, it also meant that prior to company arriving, we were all going to chip in to spruce up the house and yard to meet the high expectations of our parents. For the most part, we did so quite willingly because we loved having ‘company’. When I reflect on my youth, it was those special times spent with company, getting to know the culture of their families and their life experiences that greatly shaped my own aspirations.

And so…company’s coming to Aviation High School this week! On Thursday and Friday, we’ll open our professional home to eight sophomores and their teachers who have started their own STEM school in Dayton, Ohio. Their visit is part of an exchange program that we are developing between our two institutions. They are coming to share their learning stories with us, and we will share ours with them. You will see them in classes and in the hallways, and some will be attending the spaghetti dinner and auction, sponsored by our robotics team, on Friday evening. To allow additional opportunity for students to get to know each other, Dayton students will spend Thursday and Friday nights in the homes of the following students and their families: Sydney Miller, Max Wienke, Robyn Zaches, Sean Crowley, Matt Eaton, Emily Kelley, and Michael Marinkovich. Thank you, AHS students and families, for your wonderful hospitality and generosity in hosting our guests! Everyone: Let’s spruce up what needs sprucing up and enjoy our guests when they arrive. FYI: Next spring, several AHS students will visit Dayton! Let me know if you are interested in participating.

Last week, I attended the Governor’s Aerospace Summit. I served on a workforce development panel, and I learned from one of my fellow presenters that in addition to technical skills and knowledge, there is a set of Global Professional Standards that most aerospace companies expect their employees to exhibit. They are:

• Teamwork
• Character
• Appearance—“suit up and show up” in attire that is appropriate to the position and work being performed
• Attitude
• Productivity—yes…it’s measured!
• Organizational skills
• Communication—verbal & written as well as body language
• Cooperation
• Respect
• Safety

I hope that these standards are those that any AHS student will meet or exceed prior to transition to college and into the workplace. I am curious about what you might add or delete from the list? I invite you to send an email or stop by to share your thoughts. After all…it’s YOUR future for which we are preparing you!

Congratulations to everyone for the wonderful creativity that was displayed last Friday as pumpkins were painted and decorated and scarecrows designed and displayed! You all have quite an imagination! Most of all, thank you for fully participating in College & Career Day activities. Again…it’s about YOUR future!

Enjoy your week of learning! I’m honored and grateful to be your principal! ~Reba


NOTE:
Continue checking the AHS website or logging onto school computers to get updated information on events and meetings

• Seniors: check for information about a $5,000 scholarship from Rolls-Royce
• Juniors: check for information about Washington Aerospace Scholars.

Quote of the Week:
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

NOTAM 101810

18 October 2010

Message from the Principal:

While it seems hard to believe, we are now two-thirds of the way through first quarter of the school year. With progress reports recently issued, it is important that you make every minute of learning count as you make your way toward November 5th, the final day of the quarter. Reflect on your academic goals for this year and plan accordingly. Ask your teachers for help if you need it. Consider participating in after-school peer tutoring (it starts next week!) Enlist the support and encouragement of family members. Use your time wisely in school and at home, making your academics a priority. This may mean spending fewer hours watching television, playing games, or hanging out with friends for awhile, but it’s a choice that successful students make in order to achieve their education and career goals. Make the right choice!

Do you know that a major benefit of a college degree is an increase in average yearly income? People with an associate degree (two years at community college) typically earn up to 25% more each year than someone who is doing the same job without a degree. Those who earn four-year degrees and advanced degrees enjoy progressively higher salaries. Beyond salary, having a college degree creates opportunities for jobs and careers that inspire you, leads to career promotions, and gives you personal satisfaction and confidence to enjoy life according to your own definition of success.

Knowledge is power. Enhance your power by acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to get you into your college and career of choice. Whether you are a freshman or a senior, I am again encouraging all of you to attend the district-sponsored Life After High School College & Career Fair that is scheduled for Wednesday, November 3 at the Highline High School Gymnasium from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. And…I’m reminding you that this Friday, October 22 marks our second AHS College & Career Day of the school year. Learning activities that are scheduled on these days are an important part of preparing you for your future and enjoying the benefits that I have mentioned in my message—those that accompany earning a post secondary degree. Full participation in College & Career days is expected of each AHS student; as such, you are earning academic credit, which will appear on your transcript as a pass or fail grade in Advisory.

Belated and sincere congratulations go to newly-elected freshmen class captains Francis Britschgi and Royce Le! Hearty congratulations, too, to all other freshmen candidates who joined the spirited race to serve as a class captain. I applaud you for your commitment to lead and serve!

Congratulations also go to newly elected officers of ACE (Airline Careers Experience)—Chairman, Rashil Kohli; Vice President Scott Sluys; and Secretary / Treasurer Devon Gumke. These future career aviators are working with Alaska Airlines Captain John Sluys and Advisor Robin Lee to align our high school ACE club with the goals and objectives of college programs throughout the country. Membership in ACE is just one more way to prepare for college and career success!

Each year, the Aerospace Futures Alliance (AFA) sponsors the Governor’s Aerospace Summit, an event that brings together close to 400 leaders in aviation and aerospace to address opportunities and challenges facing their industry. And, each year, Linda Lanham, Executive Director of the AFA and wonderful friend/supporter of AHS, invites a group of our students to participate. This year’s ambassadors will be Katie McConville, Camila Palacio, Morgan Sellier, Melissa Lewis, Olivia Pham, Collins Mbugua, Cameron Jaxheimer, and Franco Spadoni. They will mix, mingle, and learn with conference participants this Thursday, October 21 at the Lynnwood Convention Center. I wish we could take all of you with us. Since we cannot, I encourage you to ask these students to share their learning with you when they are back in class. More opportunities such as this will be coming your way!

I close this week’s message with another reminder to make your moments, minutes, hours, and days of learning memorable! Make your learning fun, too—truly, it is possible…perhaps essential for most of us! I am honored to be your principal.
~Reba

NOTE:
Continue checking the AHS website or logging onto school computers to get updated information on events and meetings.

Quote of the Week:
“Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity.” ~Aristotle

NOTAM 101110

11 October 2010

Message from the Principal:

“The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.” ~Richard Bach

Rather than end the NOTAM with a quote this week, I chose to start with one that expresses my gratitude to the many sponsors of this year’s Pathfinder Gala. If enjoying this spectacular event is payment enough for a lovely evening, we are “rich” beyond words! Thank you, ERAU and Purdue Universities, James Raisbeck, Peter Morton, Peter Anderson, Clay Lacey, and Suzanna Darcy-Henneman for supporting 112 AHS students and chaperones to Pathfinder 2010! (Reminder to student attendees: Your expressions of gratitude—thank-you note or letter—and your reflections are now due to Ms. Stark or Ms. Hiranaka.)

And speaking of gratitude: Huge thanks goes to members of the Robotics, ACE, Science Olympiad, Speech & Debate, and Flight by Design teams for showing up on Friday (a non-student day) to showcase your learning for our visitors! Thanks, too, to our amazing ASB officers and all the advisors/coaches and mentors who participated. In a debrief with the visitors, they expressed how impressed they were with your professionalism, maturity, and your passion for learning. They also expressed that what they observed during their visit is not what they typically see in other high schools. Give yourselves a well-deserved pat on the back and look forward to perhaps being recruited by both ERAU and Purdue! J

Juniors: An exciting opportunity awaits you! The Museum of Flight is actively recruiting AHS juniors to apply for participation in the Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS) program! If you are selected, Phase One of the program will be from December 2010 to May 2011during which you will complete a series of online lessons on topics ranging from the history of NASA to the future of human space exploration. The top-performing students in the State will be invited in May 2011 to participate in Phase Two: a six-day (all-expense paid) residency at the Museum of Flight where they will plan their own mission to Mars. You can download applications at www.museumofflight.org/was. Applications are due November 5, 2010! Last year, 11 AHS juniors were selected for the program, and eight made it all the way to the summer residency— Matthew Eaton, Franco Spadoni, James Stone, Laura Hixson, Spencer Noble, Tyler Escott, Banks Hunter, and Jordan Cross! I encourage you to check with any of these WAS Scholars to learn more about the program. Participating is a great way to expand your learning and build your resume for college admission.

This past Saturday was a long day for many of our seniors, who took the SAT in the morning, then attended Pathfinder that same evening. My compliments to all for recognizing that your SAT scores make a difference in getting accepted to your college/post-secondary program of choice! I know that many of you take the exam more than once to improve your scores. Kudos! Our sophomores and many of our juniors will be taking the PSAT this Wednesday. Kudos to all of you, too!

Each year, our wonderful PTSA coordinates the Reflections contest. They have asked that I promote it in this week’s NOTAM, which I am pleased to do. In future weeks, be sure to check the calendar on our website or the PTSA’s for information about the contest.

My best to you for an illuminating week of learning! I am honored to be your principal! ~Reba


Message from the PTSA about Reflections:
Attention Aviation High School Students!
Grab your art supplies, camera, instrument, computer, pen, or video camera and create something to submit for the 2010-2011 41st annual PTA Reflections Contest. Reflections is an opportunity to pursue your artistic expression; this year’s theme is “Together We Can.”
Entries will be judged on creative ability and interpretation of the theme in the following categories:

• Literature
• Music Composition
• Photography
• Visual Arts
• Film/Video
• Choreography/Dance.

All AHS participants will receive recognition, certificate, prize & special catered lunch. Finalist entries (up to 4 per category) will go on to the Highline Council level of the competition. Submissions will be collected in the main office from November 15 -19. Entries turned in after 2 p.m. on November 19th will not be judged. Go to www.aviationptsa.org and click on the Reflections link for rules and entry forms. Additional forms are also available in the main office. For more information, contact Liz Campisteguy at campisteguy@gmail.com.

NOTE:
o Continue checking the AHS website or logging onto school computers to get updated information on events/meetings.

NOTAM 100410

04 October 2010

Message from the Principal:
Parents and families: You are our #1 partner in preparing your child for college, career, and citizenship. Your participation in last week’s Evening of Learning provided reassurance that we can make a powerful difference for each student by working together. Thank you for showing up and being such great learners and supporters!

Congratulations to the ASB for sponsoring the first dance of the school year this past Saturday evening. By all accounts, the Aviator Ball was a magical, fun-filled evening! Thanks to the students and staff who helped make it happen.

This Saturday marks another opportunity for 98* AHS students to experience some magic that has been created by three amazing leaders in aviation and aerospace who will be honored as Pathfinders at the Pathfinder Gala, an annual event sponsored by the Museum of Flight. When I wrote last week’s edition of the NOTAM, I reported that we would need additional sponsorship to take all of the students who applied. And, shortly after posting the NOTAM to our website, it happened! Pathfinder inductee Clay Lacy immediately stepped up to sponsor 10 additional students while parent Melanie Jordan recruited sponsorships for 5 more, and the PTSA and a few other individuals volunteered to sponsor the remaining students and chaperones. This kind of generosity and support continues to amaze and delight me. It is part of the magic of this wonderful little school we call Aviation High School where the sky is NOT the limit! Thank you, sponsors!

If you are one of the students selected for Pathfinder, I’ll see you at Etiquette Training TODAY, starting at 3:45 in the Gym and ending between 5:15-5:30 p.m.

This Friday, October 8 is a statewide professional development day for teachers, so there’s no school for students; however, there will still be some great activity that day since we have been asked to provide an overview of our school and demonstrations of learning for a group of very important people—namely, Pathfinder inductees, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Purdue University leaders, James Raisbeck, whose name will be on our new school at the Museum of Flight, and a few other key leaders in aviation and aerospace. If you are on the Robotics or Science Olympiad team, a member of ACE Club, or presenting on behalf of Flight by Design, please plan to have your exhibits/artifacts set up by 1:00 p.m. that day and be ready to greet visitors as they arrive. Team apparel is required. Speech & Debate Club, Culture Club, Music Club and any other AHS clubs are welcome to attend to share your accomplishments. In fact, any AHS student is welcome to attend! Events such as this provide excellent opportunities to hone your leadership skills, whether you are a presenter or observer. They also represent a great networking opportunity. If you wish to attend, please be in regular school dress or better—no jeans. Presentation time is 1:30-3:00 p.m. in the Gymnasium. Thanks in advance to all students and staff who are willing to serve as AHS ambassadors—even on a non-school day! You are the best!

May your week of learning be inspiring in every way! I am honored to be your principal!
~Reba

*AHS musicians and Pathfinder interns are not included in this count, which brings the total to more than 100.

NOTE:
o Continue checking the AHS website or logging onto school computers to get updated information on events/meetings.

Quote of the week:

“The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it,but that it is too low and we reach it.” ~Michelangelo


Quoted by Camila Palacio in her Pathfinder essay when describing how this year’s Pathfinder inductees inspire her to aim high so that she can experience similar successes.