Announcements

Hello parents of seniors!

This is Annastasia Manrose, the new Yearbook teacher at AHS.

I am reaching out to remind everyone that ALL senior portraits are due by February 17th, 2023. You need to send your senior portrait and the name of the senior to annastasia.manrose@ankenyschools.org. Make sure to send the photo as a JPEG or JPG so I can upload it to our online yearbook. There is a $10 late fee if senior portraits are sent in after February 17th.

Send any baby/recognition ads to me as well. For these ads, I will need a baby picture, a senior picture, the senior’s name, and whatever you would like to say to them!

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions!

Annastasia Manrose

annastasia.manrose@ankenyschools.org

Room 2404

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

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Announcements were ordered in October and will be distributed on Monday, March 27 from 10:55 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. 

SENIOR MEETING (mandatory):  April 19, 2023

SENIOR SERVICE DAY (mandatory):  Wednesday, May 10 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 10 from 11:20 am – 1:10 pm across from the front office. 

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT NIGHT (optional):  Wednesday, May 17 at 5:00 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 22 and May 23 during regular class periods. 

SENIORS’ LAST DAY:  Tuesday, May 23 – 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 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 1, prior to commencement practice.  All graduates are invited to attend. 

COMMENCEMENT PRACTICE (mandatory): Thursday, June 1 at 9:15 a.m. in the high school gym. You must attend this practice session if you wish to participate in commencement.  

COMMENCEMENT: Saturday, June 3 at 1:00 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. The doors to Hilton Coliseum will open at 12:00 pm for the public. There is seating for approximately 14,000 people, so we will not issue tickets for commencement.  Graduates should be at Hilton ready to line up no later than 12:15 p.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.

February 21, 2023 – ACHS (location TBD) – 6:00 PM

The goal of the Career and College Planning Program is to equip sophomores, juniors and their parent/guardian with the knowledge to select an appropriate college and understand the admission and scholarship application process. Attendees will leave knowing how colleges review transcript information such as GPA, ACT/SAT scores and high school course selection, as well as a timeline for success from junior year through graduation. The following topics are covered during the presentation:

• Career Exploration and Assessment
• Academic Preparation and Requirements
• Admission Process and Requirements
• College Selection and Campus Visits
• Application Process
• Understanding Costs – Cost of Attendance
• Scholarships
• Successful Transitions

Students who are interested in pursuing college/post-secondary education after high school should strongly consider registering for the ACT in the Spring or Summer of their junior year.

Friday, January 13 is a professional learning day for our staff, and Monday, January, 16 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  We hope everyone enjoys the extra long weekend and we will see students back in the building on January 17!

Second semester is just days away. Students are required to enroll in a minimum of six credits and a physical education course each semester, per Board Policy. After the start of each semester, students are not allowed to add courses without administrator approval. Students may drop a course during the first five days of the semester. The only changes in class schedules after that time are those initiated by a counselor or by a classroom teacher and approved by an administrator. If a class schedule change is not initiated by a counselor or by a classroom teacher, the method of recording a dropped course on the student’s transcript and report card will be an administrative decision and may include a W (Withdrawal), IN (Incomplete), or F (Fail). 

Getting published isn’t easy but how Orbis came to be makes a great story. The program mission statement “Unleash passion. Realize potential. Impact the world.” focuses on that exact purpose aiming to solve real problems and improve the community. Authors, Trent Grundmeyer, School of Education, Drake University; Jill Urich, Ankeny Community School District; Jill Olson, Results Group; Stephanie Brown, Ankeny Community School District; and Susan Gentz, Ben and Susan Gentz Strategies, came together for this article explaining the Orbis program at Ankeny Community School District and the influence project based learning has on high school students. View their publication in Science Publishing Group!

MLK Creative Expression

Attached is the schedule for students Wednesday (1/11/23) and Thursday (1/12/23). There will be no school on Friday, January 13, 2023.

End of First Semester Schedule

The main office will be closed on Monday, January 2nd.