Principal’s Message
The Seahawks wasn’t the only team that kicked off this past weekend. Our Skunkworks Robotics Team traveled to Auburn High School on Saturday where they joined other teams in the region to officially “kick off” the 2011 build season. They now have just six weeks to build their robot and enter it into competition. Go Skunks! And…our Science Olympians and Speech & Debaters gathered at school on Saturday to kick it, too, by engaging in study and practice for upcoming competitions. Go, mentathletes!
Hearty congratulations to Thomas DeSilva, Banks Hunter, Olivia Pham, Betsy Smith, and Jim Stone, each whom have been designated as a Commended Student in the National Merit Scholarship Program. All of these outstanding scholars took the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) and scored in the top 50,000 of over 1.5 million students who took the exam. Super congratulations to ColeSullivan, too, who also took the PSAT/NMSQT and scored in the top 3 percent of more than 160,000 Black Americans! This is an outstanding accomplishment for which these students, their parents and families, and our school can feel justifiably proud!
As part of the commended students’ congratulatory letter from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the author offered the following words of wisdom: “The degree of success you achieve in the future will depend upon you—your use of abilities and your perseverance toward the goals you set for yourself.” Sound familiar? I hope this is the message that is constantly reinforced throughout your years at AHS. It is certainly a fitting follow-up from my New Year’s message to you last week in which I encouraged you to refine your goals for college and career. I'm hoping that you did so last week or that you at least got started! If not…there’s this week!
Our extraordinary partner, Alaska Airlines, is again offering AHS seniors and ACE Club the opportunity to be part of a delivery flight on Friday, 21 January 2011. This will be the third time that AHS students have been given this amazing gift of joining the Alaska crew to pick up a brand new airplane, take a scenic tour over the Puget Sound region, and be treated like royalty by both Alaska Airlines and the Boeing Company. This is a very fun and informative learning experience for all who participate, and participation is dependent on your returning your permission form today or tomorrow at the very latest! Mrs. Hiranaka has the list and is checking it twice and thrice, so please help her job go smoothly by getting yours in ASAP!
Underclassmen: We will likely have room for up to 10 of you to participate in the delivery flight. If you have never flown on a commercial airliner, you get first consideration! You must indicate your interest TODAY, though, by signing up with Mrs. Hiranaka during lunch. We will then confer with your teachers to gain their endorsement of your participation and notify you before the end of the school day if we can include you in the trip.
Our third and final Information Program for 8th graders and families will be held this Thursday, January 13 from 5:45-8:30 p.m. Students: Please know how very much we appreciate your active involvement in these events; it is, however, mandatory that you be asked by the administration or a staff member in order to participate. We are liable for you if you are on campus, and we are committed to being accountable. Only those students who are on Mrs. Hiranaka’s list (which staff members have provided to her) will be given name badges as well as pizza. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.
Students, staff, parents/guardians, and community: Please mark your calendar for Friday, 11 March for our annual PTSA-sponsored Dan Hartley potato dinner & mini-auction, which will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Machinist Hall in South Park. This fun event is a fundraiser for senior scholarships, but more importantly, it is a great family-style event with Irish music and dancing, a tasty potato dinner with all the toppings and gourmet desserts, and an award to a key community leader who has served as a wingman to AHS. You don’t want to miss it! I’ll look forward to seeing you there.
A reminder that next Monday is a non-school day in celebration of the amazing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today, we are holding a special assembly to honor his life work and contribution to humanity.
A final note: Snow is being forecast for late this week, so please remember to check the Puget Sound Educational Service District’s website (www.schoolreport.org) for possible school delays or closures.
My best to all for a productive week of learning! Honored to be your principal—Reba
Basic information about the Highline School District Levy:
- Highline voters should be receiving their ballots within the next week.
- This is an Educational Programs Renewal Levy, not a new tax. The renewal levy is how our local community funds Highline schools.
- The levy pays for basics such as teachers, textbooks, bus transportation and other essentials that are not fully funded by the State of Washington.
- The current levy expires in 2011.
- The levy makes up about one-quarter of the school district’s operating budget. About 80% of the levy pays for teachers and staff.
- Levy election is by mail only. Ballots must be postmarked no later than February 8th.
NOTE:
Continue checking the AHS website or logging on to school computers to get updated information on events and meetings.
Quote of the Week:
“I have a dream…” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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