Announcements

Congratulations Seniors and Parents! Your hard work and determination have brought you here. Listed below you will find important information about the commencement process.

TO DO: Is Your Name Incorrect on your School Transcript? If so, it will be incorrect on your diploma. Email Ms. Myers at: Jill.Myers@ankenyschools.org or stop by the Counseling Office to correct your name.  

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Announcements were ordered in October and will be distributed on Wednesday, March 27 from 10:40 am – 1:00 pm across from the front office.  If you have questions or concerns regarding your order, you may call the Jostens office at 1-800-863-0961 Ext. 0 or go to www.jostens.com.  If not picked up on March 27th, you can pick them up in the front office.

SENIOR MEETING (mandatory):  April 24, 2024 – during hawk time

SENIOR SERVICE DAY (mandatory):  Wednesday, May 8 is a day for the seniors of Ankeny High School to give back to their community. Seniors will have the opportunity during the school day to thank the teachers that made an impact on their learning and wellbeing, give back to the school that they spent so much time at over the last four years, and give back to the community that they grew up in.

CAPS AND GOWNS: Caps and gowns will be distributed on Wednesday, May 8 from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm across from the front office.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT NIGHT (optional):  Wednesday, May 15 at 7:00 p.m. in the main gym. This night is to recognize seniors who are receiving awards and/or scholarships. Invitations will be mailed to seniors who receive school related awards, who self-report scholarships and to Dollars for Scholars recipients. Participating seniors will wear their graduation gowns (no cap/tassel). All are welcome to attend and support their friends and family.

SENIOR FINAL EXAMS:  May 20 and May 21 during regular class periods.

SENIORS’ LAST DAY:  Tuesday, May 21 – All academic work must be completed by this date to be eligible to participate in commencement. All fines and fees must also be paid.

SENIOR BREAKFAST AND SLIDESHOW: The Student Council will sponsor a senior breakfast/slideshow in the cafeteria at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, May 30, prior to commencement practice.  All graduates are invited to attend. 

COMMENCEMENT PRACTICE (mandatory): Thursday, May 30 at 9:00 a.m. in the high school gym. You must attend this practice session if you wish to participate in commencement.  

COMMENCEMENT: Sunday, June 2 at 11:00 a.m. at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. The doors to Wells Fargo will open at 10:00 am for the public. There is seating for approximately 14,000 people, so we will not issue tickets for commencement.  Graduates should be at Wells Fargo ready to line up no later than 10:00 a.m.

COMMENCEMENT DECORUM: Commencement is a time for celebration, but it is also a time to demonstrate respect and dignity for all students and families. We ask that guests refrain from using noisemakers and from shouting or applauding during the ceremony. At the end of the diploma presentation, we will honor all graduates at the same time. Graduates are expected to conduct themselves with dignity and respect during the ceremony as well. 

DIPLOMA PACKETS: Immediately following the commencement ceremony, seniors will be handed their diploma packet. The packet will include your diploma, immunization card and commencement photo order form.

Your diploma and immunization card CANNOT be replaced. (Please keep your diploma and immunization card in a safe place – DO NOT DESTROY). 

COMMENCEMENT PHOTOGRAPHS: Photos will be taken as you cross the stage.  These photos will be available for order through the photographers website.

Hello AHS Parents/Guardians!

Please make sure to purchase the 2023/2024 AHS Yearbook! You can purchase yearbooks through Yearbook Market, or https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/ankenyhighschool.

The last day to purchase a yearbook is June 1st, 2024. Please keep in mind that we will have a limited number of extra copies for pickup in the fall. If you are unsure if you have purchased a yearbook, please look for a confirmation email from Yearbook Market. 

Thank you, 

Yearbook Advisor, 

Annastasia Manrose

There will be no school Monday, April 8th, due to a professional learning day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, April 9th.

Seniors & Senior Parents: Graduation announcements that were ordered through Josten’s have arrived and can be picked up in the office. 

The Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) will be administered the week of April 1-4 for all AHS 10th and 11th graders. There is no testing on Friday, April 5; we will follow the regular schedule on April 5th.

Congrats to Talon reporter and senior Grace Risk for winning a Best of School Newspapers Online award for her story on AHS’s P.E.O.P.E.L. P.E. Give it a read on AHSTalonNews.com.

The 1st-grade teachers at East Elementary teamed up with the talented students from the Ankeny High School theatre department for an exciting project on sound and light! Together, they explored the question: “How do light and sound help tell a story?”

Check out the amazing video created by the high schoolers, demonstrating how they use light and sound to enhance their productions!

In the 1st grade literacy sessions, they delved into three classic fairytales: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, and The Ugly Duckling. Using story maps, we retold these tales and discussed how sound and light play crucial roles in storytelling.

Each student had the chance to choose one fairytale and bring it to life through a video production, incorporating the techniques they learned from their high school partners. The elementary students were thrilled to showcase their creativity by designing their own displays based on what they learned!

There will be no school Friday, March 8th through Friday, March 15th. Classes will resume on Monday, March 18th.