dimensionsD I M O N D

A. J. Dimond High School Community Newsletter October 2011

Letter from the Principal

CO F F E E T I M Ewith the Principal

Join Ms. Guyett for coffee/tea and conversation

Oct. 11th, 7:30-8:00amand 11:30-12:00pm

Our mission is to facilitate optimal learning for all students to empower them to lead fulfilling and productive lives in a rapidly changing and increasingly complex society.

Save the DateOctober 10

College Planning Night 7 PM

October 1 SaturdaySAT test at Service H. S. 8 AM

October 4, 5, 6HSGQE make-up testing

For juniors & seniors who need to retake the test

Regular classes for 9th & 10th

October 14 FridayEnd of 1st Quarter Inservice

No school for students

October 15 SaturdayPSAT test at Dimond 8 AM

October 27 ThursdayParent Conferences11 AM – 2:30 PM

4 PM – 7 PMStudents are dismissed at 11 AM

October 28 FridayInservice

No School for students

November 6 SundayTurn clocks behind one hour

Dear Dimond Parent or Guardian,

Dimond’s theme this year “Expect the Best” encourages us to expect the best from ourselves and others. As well as to see the potential for a positive end to a chal-lenging situation. Dimond High School’s

number one fan and most pro-lific fundraiser, Don Win-chester, uses Vince Lom-bardi’s quote "Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off your goals” as

his inspiration. Don’s success in champi-oning our school and the future of youth activities across our city and state testify that this quote has power. Thank you, Don, for your gift of time, finances, and vision.

This fall Dimond has begun plans for or has opened several additions to our pro-gram. Dimond is one of two high schools completing phase one of the Response to Instruction (RTI) program. All freshmen and sophomores will be assessed three times this year in reading. Next year test results will be analyzed and steps will be taken to improve individual reading abili-ties. You can learn more about RTI on the ASD website or by calling Mr. David Legg at 742-7000.

Dimond is also developing activities to enhance students’ social and emotional learning. The Anchorage School District

is a national leader in this area. Part of Dimond’s curriculum includes the Be the Change program for sophomores and the Impact class open to sophomores, juniors and seniors. These programs develop stu-dents to be knowledgeable, capable, caring and responsive.

Dimond’s Engineering Academy contin-ues to connect science, technology, en-gineering and math (STEM) with real world situations. We offer five Project Lead the Way classes: Introduction to En-gineering Design, Principles of Engineer-ing, Architecture and Engineering Design, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, and Digital Electronics. In addition, Techni-cal Writing is offered. Students and teach-ers meet periodically to compare processes with engineers from our Advisory Council. This year the Engineering Academy class-rooms will be redesigned to better accom-modate fabrication and robotics thanks to a Senate appropriation.

Fall sports and activities have involved the majority of our students in healthy ac-tivities and provided lots of great spectator moments.

I thank you again for supporting your students’ education. It’s the best invest-ment ever. And I look forward to seeing you at Parent-Teacher Conferences Thurs-day October 27.

Very Sincerely,

Cheryl M. Guyett

Dave Donk, Counseling Department Chair James Bell, Curriculum Assistant Principal - 742-7008

COUNSELING & CURRICULUM NEWS

COUNSELORS

I would like to take the time to thank everyone who volunteered and helped with our registration and start-up for this school year. We currently have nearly 1770 students for the 2011-12 school year. Opening day was terrific and we have got-ten off to a smooth start. I also appreciate everyone that was able to make it to Open House last month as well. I can’t stress enough the importance of your involve-ment in your student’s life here at Dimond High School.

Being involved with your student’s ac-ademic life is very critical, especially for freshmen. Stay connected with your Zangle Parent Connect that allows you to see the progress that your child is mak-ing in high school. It is never too early to be in communication with your child’s teacher and make sure that we all support your child academically. Parent Connect allows you to see a snapshot of your stu-dent’s current progress throughout the se-mester in all of their classes. If you have any questions regarding a specific grade or missing assignments, please contact your child’s teacher with any questions. Teach-ers’ names are hyperlinked in both the Par-ent Connect and Student Connect, making it easy to click on the teacher’s name and send them an email.

Students also have the ability to go on-line and assess their grades through Zan-gle Student Connect. This helps students stay on track and see their individual prog-ress just like you can in Parent Connect. It is important for students to be accountable for their progress and know where they are standing in each of their classes. Please encourage your child to use this useful tool to build on their success at school. It is always a good thing to take the time and sit together to discuss your child’s progress while attending Dimond High School.

As technology continues to advance, it comes with some hiccups as well. On oc-casions there are temporary breakdowns in the system, but usually not for long. Also, please allow time for teachers to grade as-signments and tests and not expect that the grades will go in the same time as the as-

signments are due. If it appears that your child’s information has not been updated within the last two weeks, please feel free to contact the teacher. Please kind in mind though, even in the fast paced world of the Internet, quality feedback still may take a little time.

Attention Student Athlete! If you are interested in competing in athletics n a col-lege program, don’t forget that you must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. It is also important that you meet the re-quirements for eligibility and take classes that are approved by the NCAA. Not all classes at Dimond High School are ap-proved for NCAA. If you have a copy of the Program of Studies for ASD, you can find the requirements on page 163. Also, you can see which courses are currently approved next to the course descriptions. Please note that eligibility requirements are increasing for Division II athletes for the class of 2013. It is the responsibility of the students and parents to know how to be eligible for college athletics. If you need assistance, you may contact Chris Hig-gins with any specific questions you might have about this process at 742-7058. You can also check the NCAA Clearinhouse website at http://web1.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.html

Alaska Performance Scholarship student eligibility criteria are increasing for the class of 2013. Please take time to look at the criteria that is enclosed in this newslet-ter. No course work that is completed in Middle School is accepted. This is a state law that requires all credits must be earned while enrolled as a high school student. It is also important that students have their SAT, ACT and Workkey’s scores sent to Dimond High School to help assist in their eligibility status.

Seniors! Remember that Honors Gradu-ation standing is determined by the sev-enth semester cumulative grade point av-erage. A 3.5 G.P.A. in January 2012 will determine whether or not you graduate with Honors.

When requesting a letter of recommen-dation from a counselor or teacher, or when asking a counselor or teacher to fill out a college entrance application form, please allow a minimum of two weeks for staff to complete your request. Letters of recom-mendation packets are available from the student’s counselor or from Kim Lauwers in the CRC.

Freshmen ............................................. Jaime Boyd-Kragt9-12 Special Services ................................ Tracie AshmanSophomores, Juniors and Seniors:A – Di .............................................................. Dave DonkDo – K ...........................................................Rob HartleyL – P ............................................................ Chris HigginsR – Z ............................................................. Pete MandelGraduation Coordinator .............................Christal Smaw

Academic progress

Anchorage School District

Response to InstructionResponse to Instruction (RTI) provides a system for all students to receive instruction based on their needs, whether it’s those needing intervention, students who are right on track or those who require accelerated instruction.

How it worksRTI follows a simple plan of continuous instruction, screening, intervention and

monitoring.1. Core instruction – All students receive high-quality instruction. �e lessons are

aligned to the district’s Grade Level Expectations and state standards.2. Universal screening – Students’ reading skills will be assessed three times each

year. Universal screening helps educators iden tify the learning needs of all students and guide core instruction.

�e district is using two types of assessments for universal screening, AIMSweb and COREK12. Each assessment tool targets critical skills and speci�c grade levels.

• AIMSweb – Grades K–4. Assessment is individually administered and takes about �ve minutes per child.

– Grades 5–10. Entire class is assessed at the same time on computers. Screening takes about 45 minutes, or the equivalent of one class period.

For the current school year, RTI universal screening will occur for reading. Beginning in 2013-14 math screenings will be incorporated into the RTI system.

3. Intervention – Instructional interventions are used in addition to core instruction. �e interventions are based on the needs of the students, as determined by the universal screening.

4. Progress monitoring – Beginning next school year (2012-13), the district will incorporate progress monitoring into the RTI system. Progress monitoring is a brief measure, lasting one to �ve minutes, of basic reading skills. It measures the e�ects of interventions for at-risk students. Progress monitoring may occur up to four times per month, based on student need.

What this means to parentsParents will receive information regarding their student’s performance on the universal screening measure three times per year. �e screening is designed to show parents how well their student is performing in the area of reading and the likelihood of the child needing additional assistance or enrichment.

What this means to studentsStudents will be able to see their reading strengths and areas needing focus. As students understand their performance data, they will be more successful in setting goals and actively participating in the process of learning and achieving academic success.

RTI will begin this year with reading screenings in all elementary schools; Clark and Mirror Lake middle schools; and Bartlett and Dimond high schools. By the 2014-15 school year, all schools will have RTI screening and monitoring for both reading and math.

�ree universal screenings for reading will take place this school year: fall, winter and spring. �e fall screenings will occur as follows:

Aug. 16 – Sept. 9, 2011Nov. 28 – Dec. 15, 2011Apr. 16 – May 4, 2012

Aug. 22 – Sept. 9, 2011Nov. 28 – Dec. 15, 2011Apr. 16 – May 4, 2012

Sept. 6 – 23, 2011Jan. 17 – Feb 4, 2012Apr. 23 – May 11, 2012

Parents and guardians should expect to receive their child’s fall universal screening results at the end of the �rst quarter, in October, with their child’s report card. Teachers will explain each child’s score during parent-teacher conferences.

Want more information?Log on to www.asdk12.org/RTI

to learn more or talk to your child’s teacher or principal about the

di�erences and bene�ts RTI will make in your child’s classroom.

September 2011

Dear Parent/Guardian:

As you know, Dimond High School has been working hard to improve the success of all our students in every subject. Every school in the Anchorage School District is working on this same goal. Because we are working to educate all students for success in life, Dimond’s goal is to ensure our students can read with comprehension, write with skill, and compute and problem-solve with accuracy, and we are working to achieve this mission with every single student.

The federal law called No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires that schools make continu-ous progress in increasing the percentage of students who are proficient, or on grade level, on state tests until reaching the 100% proficient mark by the 2013-14 school year. This progress is referred to as “adequate yearly progress” or AYP. In Alaska, this learning is measured each spring when all students in grades 3-10 take the Standards Based Assessments (SBAs) in the areas of reading, writing and math. Every state-identified subgroup of students at Dimond must meet the achievement targets, and 95% of the students in each identified group must show up to take the test. If Dimond fails to meet standards in one or more of these 31 stan-dards, the school is designated as needing improvement. Additionally, high schools must meet the goal for graduation rates.

Dimond High School has not made adequate yearly progress by these state measures because we have not met all 31 of the state requirements. Therefore, it is in Level 5 status. Of the 31 measures required to meet AYP Dimond High did not meet the following targets:

Language Arts and Math performance in the categories of Alaska Native/American In-• dian, Economically Disadvantaged, and Students with Disabilities.Math performance in the categories of All and Hispanic students.• Language Arts Performance in the area of Limited English Proficiency.•

We are proud that Dimond’s graduation rate of 88.34% exceeds the state measure and is an in-crease over last year.

Every year, parents and staff work together to set and achieve school goals. As we continue to work to improve learning for all our students, we will be creating a school improvement plan. This plan will address areas of need in our school, focusing on why we did not make AYP.

Dimond High’s theme for this year is “Expect the Best”. The staff and I look forward to con-tinuing our partnership with parents and the community in offering the best possible education for all our students. We welcome your comments and questions. Please feel free to call me at 742-7000.

Sincerely,

Principal

FRESHMAN HOUSE NEWSDavid Legg, Freshman House Assistant Principal - 742-7069

Hello Dimond Community! This year has gotten off to an exciting start. The overall climate and atmosphere this year is reflective of a freshman class that is eager to learn. The transition from middle school to high school is a critical and often difficult transition for many students. Past research has shown that 9th grade students decide in the first few weeks of their freshman year whether or not they plan to graduate. In an effort to maintain an environment conducive to learning and lay the ground-work for a successful high school career, a team consisting of myself, Mrs. Boyd, our freshman counselor, and Mr. Kubosh, our Freshman House security, have vis-ited each of the Freshman House classes. During this time, we shared expectations for student behavior. Equally, if not more important, we discussed expectations for students during transitions between class-es, lunchtime, and during all school func-tions. Not only is it important that students know what is expected of them, it is simi-larly important that they know what to ex-pect from the staff. In the Freshman House, we have attempted to create an environ-ment that is predictable, kind and caring, and extends the necessary support servic-

es, and resources to meet the varying needs of all students. At the same time, we create a structure within the Freshman House that discourages undesirable behaviors while positive behaviors are reinforced. We focus on the positive and maintain high standards for our students, how-ever certain behaviors may result in conse-quences intended to deter misbehavior. For example, excessive tardies, absences, and truancies will reflect natural consequences due to lost instructional time but may also result in consequences given by school staff. Lunch detention, afterschool work detail, and Monday morning detention are examples of consequences that may be ad-ministered to deter certain behaviors. At times, some students find the transi-tion to high school difficult and/or frus-trating. We have placed supports and oth-er activities in place to ease each student’s transition to high school. After the first 10 school days, the staff from the Freshman House met to discuss students who may be struggling academically or have already begun to accrue excessive absences/tar-dies. A staff member was assigned to check in with individual students and monitor their progress as well as provide additional supports.

For students needing additional aca-demic support, we have a Home Work

Café during freshman lunch, as well as a Home Work Center after school. Specific days and times will be announced soon. We, at Dimond, believe that students should be recognized for a job well done. This may include academic successes or simply a demonstration of good character. Several times per year, teachers are given the opportunity to nominate students for Phenomenal Freshman. If your child is nominated, you will receive a phone call notifying you and inviting you to the pre-sentation. Battle of the Books has begun! All fresh-man should be reading, reading, READ-ING! Titles and books for this year’s com-petition are available in the library, as are summaries of each book. You may email your child’s teacher or the school librarian for more details. If you have any questions, suggestions or concerns that you would like to discuss regarding your child’s needs or experience, please feel free to contact me by email at legg_david@asdk12.org or by phone 742-7069.

J.R.O.T.C. NEWS

JROTC WELCOMES MSG YOUNG-BLOOD

A highlight from the beginning of the school year was the Lynx Battalion hiring Master Sargent (Retired) Dylan Young-blood.

MSG Youngblood was born in Seattle, Washington and lived in the Seattle area until he was eleven years old, then moved down south to Austin, Texas. He joined the U.S. Army at age 19 and served for 21 years. MSG Youngblood has three boys; Dylan 13, Bailey 12 and Evan 3. His son Dylan is currently a first year cadet at Sterling HS in Baytown, Texas. When asked why he wanted to become a JROTC instructor MSG Youngblood answered, “I decided to become a JROTC instructor because guid-ing young people to be successful and to be better citizens will also make the United States a better and stronger country.”

MSG Youngblood will help make our battalion even better than it already is and we are grateful that he chose to join the Dimond JROTC family.

LEADERSHIP SEMINAR

Dimond JROTC started the year off with our Leadership Seminar, which took place at DHS on the 11th, 12th, and 13th of August. The seminar’s aim was to prepare cadets in key leadership positions for their roles and responsibilities in the upcoming school year, and included class-es on how to properly communicate with

staff members, the specific responsibilities of their jobs, how to put together and grade a uniform properly, and how to deal with different leadership situations that com-monly happen throughout the year.

The seminar culminated with a “team-building” event - white water rafting trip on Eagle River.

BUS ROUTES

The MOA Traffic Department has notified me that the 2011-12 Safe Routes to Schools Maps are now available on line. This is a link to the web site. http://www.muni.org/Departments/works/traffic/Pages/SafeRoutesToSchools.aspx

Steven Kalmes, CDPTkalmes_steven@asdk12.org

Did You Know. . . . .• 238 buses travel 3,000,000 miles and provide over 6,000,000 passenger trips for students in the Anchorage School District every year. • The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) says school buses are the safest vehicles on America's roads. • School buses must comply with more Federal Motor Safety Standards and any other vehicle on the road.

It is the policy of the Anchorage School District to provide equal educational and employment opportunities, and to provide services and benefits to all students and employees without regard to race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, marital status, and change in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood or other prohibitions. This policy is consistent with numerous laws, regulations, and executive orders enforced by various federal, state, and municipal agencies, including but not limited to Executive Order 11246, Title 41, part 60-1, 60-2, 60-3, 60-20, Title VI and VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, and Section 504.

Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the School District’s Equal Employment Opportunity Director, who also serves as the Title IX Coordinator, Boniface Education Center, P.O. Box 196614, Anchorage, AK 99519-6614, (907) 742-4132 or to any of the following external agencies: Alaska State Commission for Human Rights, Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, Director of the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services.

MSG Shelley - 742-7010

STUDENT GOVERNMENT NEWSLem Wheeles, Sponsor

Dimond Student Government: Homecoming 2011 !"#$!%&!'()*$+(!,$-*$.'!/#0!1-2$!)3!4510+*!6()*$+(!708$.+1$+(!#-8$!9$$+!#-.*!-(!/0.2!5+!(#$!$-.,:!/$$2'!

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Executive Board

!"#$%&"'()$*'+,%-.$%&"' Sheema Lee

!"#$%&"'()$*'/.0%'+,%-.$%&"' Shea Christianson

!"#$%&"'()$*'!%0,%"1,*' Alaina Hawley

2%3,%-%&"1".4%51"561,7%' Ryan Watson

8)99.--.)&%,'):'!3.,."' Michael Sedor

8)99.--.)&%,'):'!3.,."' Kristi Lauwers

8)99.--.)&%,'):'+#;<.0."*' Erika Quinn

8)99.--.)&%,'):'+#;<.0."*' Madeline Afusia

8)99.--.)&%,'):'=.&1&0%' Lindsey Martens

8)99.--.)&%,'):'2#<%-' Jackie Letourneau

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Senior Class Officers +,%-.$%&"' Sydney Mayers

!%0,%"1,*' Nancy Chon

>,%1-#,%,' Andrea Velez

2%3,%-%&"1".4%' Grace LeNorman

?$'@)0' Daniel Roberts

?$'@)0' Emilee Minsky

?$'@)0' Valerie Zerda

Junior Class Officers +,%-.$%&"' Emily Seidler

/.0%'+,%-.$%&"' Megan Romo

!%0,%"1,*' Mallory Stutzer

>,%1-#,%,' Matt Froehlich

2%3,%-%&"1".4%' Jessica Barkeley

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Sophomore Class Officers +,%-.$%&"' Jin Chong

/.0%'+,%-.$%&"' Megan Alward

!%0,%"1,*' Courtney Rose

>,%1-#,%,' Austin Osborne

2%3,%-%&"1".4%' Teresa Rath

?$'@)0' Davis Ortland

?$'@)0' Lauren Martens

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Freshman Class Officers +,%-.$%&"' Ryan Roberts

/.0%'+,%-.$%&"' Callum Toohey

!%0,%"1,*' D.J. Hicks

>,%1-#,%,' Teya Phanmanivong

2%3,%-%&"1".4%' Walker Hamilton

PARENT-TEACHER-STUDENT-ASSOCIATION NEWS Kathryn Eckhoff, President - 229-8499

Hello,My name is Kathryn Eckhoff and I am the current President of Dimond High School’s Parent Teacher Student Associ-ation. I follow a long line of committed leaders of this organization and hope to continue the excellence which has gone before me.

Our goal as a PTSA is to provide tools for our faculty and staff at Dimond, to make it easier for them to guide and teach our students. There is a history with the Dimond PTSA of providing everything from computer programs to physical therapy equipment within the school.

We are able to contribute thousands of dollars worth of equipment to all de-partments in the school, only because of the excellent team of volunteers who faithfully sign up to give their time, ideas, and experience.

The majority of our funds come from the Lynx Lair - or as the students know it, the School Store. Under the manage-ment of Ginger Jenkins and more than 40 generous volunteers, the PTSA is able to provide coffee, smoothies, and other drinks and food to the faculty, staff, and students before school and during lunch. This is also where Dimond apparel in-cluding wool hats, T-shirts, and hoodies, crew neck sweatshirts, and sweatpants may be purchased.

All profit from this store is then given to the staff and faculty through Fall and Spring Grant applications. Our budget also includes designated funds for each class and specific departments, to aid in their activities throughout the school year.

The School Store is just one element the PTSA is involved in at Dimond High School. We welcome any support you are able to offer. I look forward to

meeting you. I am available at school Tuesday - Friday mornings, or you can contact me by phone or email with any concerns or ideas you may offer.

Warmest Regards,

Kathryn EckhoffPTSA President

Kathryn EckhoffPresidentkeckhoff@gci.net344-8844 - Home229-8499 - Cell

Ginger JenkinsVice President

Theresa BarnardTreasurer

Michelle SummersSecretary and Hospitality

National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists

Please join me in congratulating Dimond seniors Jonathan Walther, Lauren Summers, and Kylie Moore for being se-lected as semifinalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholar-ship Program. These three seniors placed among the top 5% of more than 1.5 million students who entered the aca-demic competition by taking the PSAT.

Meal Prices for 2011-12Breakfast Student $2.25Reduced price 30¢Adult, no milk $2.50Milk 50¢Each high school also offers individually priced items for breakfast and lunch.

LunchStudent $4.00Reduced price 40¢Adult, no milk $4.25Milk 50¢Each high school also offers individually priced items for breakfast and lunch.

DIMOND HIGH PTSA 2011-2012Invites you to join and be an active part of your student’s education

Member Name:

Student(s) Name:______________________________ ___________________________

______________________________ ___________________________

Grades:_________ ________

_________ ________

Parent’s E-Mail: Preferred Phone:

Address: Zip:

STORE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIESCheck one or more – we will contact you

_____ School Store – Morning Shift (6:45-8:00 am)

_____ School Store – Lunch Shift (10:30-12:00)

_____ School Store – Dances (TBA)

_____ School Store – Other Events (Open House, Tournaments, Fairs, etc.)

OTHER VOLUNTEER INTERESTSCheck all that apply

_____ Parent/Teacher Luncheon _____ Testing Breakfasts _____ Teacher Appreciation

_____ Volunteer Appreciation _____ Newsletter/Mass Mailings _____ Grants _____ I can’t give my time, but would like to be an informed member.

_____ Membership dues paid ($ 10.00) Please accept my additional dontation of $____________

Please make checks payable to: DHS PTSARemit to: 2909 W. 88th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99502

CAREER RESOURCE CENTER NEWSKim Lauwers - 742-7020

College Representatives Coming to DimondPlease sign up in advance in the CRC (C113)

THOSE SIGNED UP WILL BE GIVEN A PASS!

ALL PRESENTATIONS WILL BE HELD IN THE CRC

OCT. 11 12:10 MAYVILLE STATE COLLEGEOCT. 17 1:20 EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITYOCT. 18 10:45 PERRY TECH INSTITUTEOCT. 19 8:30 WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITYOCT. 20 12:10 CORBIN COLLEGEOCT. 20 1:20 MONTANA STATEOCT. 23-24 TBA COLLEGE FAIR (not at Dimond, tba)OCT. 25 8:30 COTTEY COLLEGEOCT. 25 11:30 EMBRY - RIDDLE

MORE SCHOOLS WILL BE ADDED AS WE SCHEDULE!

Parents, do you want to receive CRC updates? Please make sure your email is current. To add or change your email address contact curriculum at: kansanen_minna@asdk12.org.

IS BACK!We are excited at Dimond High about continuing our Social and Emotional Learning program called Be The Change. Over the next two months, a group of juniors and seniors will be trained to serve as student facilitators. Beginning at the end of November and continuing through February, every sophomore will attend a Be the Change workshop with his or her English 10 class. The workshop is a ½ day experience that will open up discussion about decision making, smart choices, and the effect of media on our society. At the end of the workshop, each student will be asked to make a commitment to complete some small act that will help make Dimond a better place.

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2011 ANCHORAGE COLLEGE AND CAREER FAIR

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS SUNDAY – OCTOBER 23, 2011

Registration and exhibit set up

Workshops

Fair in Session

MONDAY – OCTOBER 24, 2011 Fair in session

Alaska Performance Scholarship An invitation to excellence, extended to students, parents and educators alike.

Alaska Commission on Alaska Department of Postsecondary Education Labor and Workforce Development

For more information, go to APS.alaska.gov

Fact Sheet – August 2011

WHO can get the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS)? Alaska residents who graduate from an Alaska high school (public, private, or home school), in 2011 or later, and:

complete a rigorous high school curriculum, as defined by regulations achieve a high school GPA of at least 2.5, or equivalent earn a minimum score on college or career readiness test (21 on the ACT, 1450 on the SAT, or 5 on WorkKeys) enroll at least half time, and remain in good standing, in an approved program at a participating Alaska institution have qualifying education costs remaining after using all other non-loan aid (e.g. federal grants or other scholarships)

WHERE can the APS be used? At any participating college or university in Alaska, or for approved career and technical education programs in the state. HOW MUCH is the APS? There are three maximum annual award levels: up to $4,755, $3,566, and $2,378. Maximum levels are established based on a combination of minimum GPA and test scores. An APS award may not exceed qualifying costs of attendance (which typically include tuition; fees; required books, supplies, and equipment; room and board; and transportation) remaining after considering all other non-loan aid the student is eligible for.

Students may remain eligible for up to 8 semesters, but must fully use the APS within six years of high school graduation. WHAT is required to get the APS?

Step 1) TAKE A RIGOROUS HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM (see chart on reverse)

Step 2) MEET THE GPA AND TEST SCORE REQUIREMENTS (see chart on reverse) Be sure your SAT/ACT scores are sent directly to your school and received prior to high school graduation.

Step 3) APPLY Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1, and before June 30, in each year you wish to use APS funds. An alternate application for students applying to a school that does not receive FAFSA data is available at APS.alaska.gov. Private school students must also submit an Eligibility Determination Form to EED.

Students can continue to be eligible for up to a total of eight semesters (four years) by: filing a new FAFSA or approved alternate application by the deadline each year making satisfactory academic progress as set out in regulations (including number of credits earned and college GPA) staying enrolled at least half time in a qualifying program of study

WHEN will the APS be available?The members of Alaska’s 2011 high school graduating class were the first students eligible for the APS. Any future Alaska high school graduate may qualify for eligibility. Recipients can view award details in their Alaska Student Aid Portal (ASAP) account.

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STUDENT SERVICES/ATTENDANCE NEWSPatsy Shaha, Student Services/Attendance Assistant Principal - 742-7056

The Goal. The goal of the Student Services office to be of service to the teachers, students and

parents of Dimond High School. Some of the areas that we can assist with are:

• Parking Permits/Tickets • Proactive / Preventative Student Situations • Student Behavior Concerns • Possible Harassment • Attendance • Discipline Referrals • Behavior Mediations • Tardy/Admit Slips • Withdraw Fail for Nonattendance

The Team. The Student Services office functions as a team with 7 key players.

These 5 Safety/Security officers are ready and available to

help your student with their high school experience.

We can be reached by telephone, or by email at: lastname_firstname@asdk12.org.

Patsy Shaha 742-7076 Administrator Patti Leddy 742-7045 Administrative Assistant

Derrick Kubosh 742-6972 Security, Freshmen House

Rob Galosich 742-7091 Security, alpha A -F

Andre Toliver 742-6998 Security, alpha G -L

Jon Ticket 742-7080 Security, alpha M -O

Jessica Kopischke 742-7032 Security, alpha P-Z

Activity fees are:$175 per activity – tennis, cross country running, cheerleading, track and field, drama

debate/forensics $185 per activity – flag football, volleyball, cross country skiing, football, wrestling,

basketball, riflery, soccer $195 per activity – gymnastics, swimming and diving, hockey

A $5 concussion baseline fee is required for all sports (no waivers)

ACTIVITIES NEWSPat Walker, Activities Assistant Principal - 742-6996

What counts is not the number of hours you put in, but how much you put in the hours. (Anonymous)

In automobile terms, the child supplies the power but the parents have to do the steering. Benjamin Spock (1903-1998) Pediatrician and writer

The Activities world at Dimond High School is accelerating into another school year with fall sports, club events, and our students, staff and all of you parents certainly putting in some quality hours to keep everything running smoothly. It is now mid-September as I write this month’s article and we are all down-shifting from being in over-drive for this past weekend’s Homecoming activities yet as Homecoming ends, Riflery season begins. There is always something happening here.

If you happened to miss our Friday night Homecoming, our Flag Football and Football teams were showcased under the lights in Dimond Alumni Stadium, the Juniors won the float-building contest (kudos to whoever taught the Junior class how to line dance), and Alexis Rogers and Ronell Corral were selected as Queen and King from the Home-coming Court and driven around the field in a vintage convertible. The weekend’s activities concluded with Saturday night’s Homecoming Dance sponsored by Student Government. Many thanks go out to all of the parents, staff, and students who assisted in making this year’s Homecoming a positive memory for our school.

Activities at Dimond just keep growing. Our Flag Football program is again the larg-est in the district (110 girls) and our Varsity team is ranked #1. Our Football program is expanding and bringing many younger play-ers to the ranks. Our Cheer squads are as competitive as ever and are looking forward to the Fall Region IV competition at Chugiak on October 15. Dimond’s Tennis team continues

to expand in number and quality of players. Dimond’s Varsity will again vie for the Region and State titles in late September and early October at The Alaska Club North. Dimond’s Swim team is again the largest in the district and our swimmers and divers are working to-wards the Region and State competitions at the end of October despite our pool renovations requiring our team to bus to Bartlett for daily practices. We may yet see some long-standing records fall. Dimond’s Gymnasts have been solidly successful this year with our veteran senior competitors welcoming all of the new members of the team. Volleyball at Dimond is as competitive as ever and our Varsity team is looking to defend its state title in Region and State competitions in late October and early November. Our Cross-country run-ning team continues to grow in number and strength through individual and team efforts and we look forward to the outcome of the Regions and State competitions. Please join us at Kincaid Park on September 24 for the Region IV XCR Championships and then at Bartlett High School on October 1 for State. The Bartlett Trails are again the site of this year’s State championships.. The Riflery sea-son just started, Bowling is only a few weeks away, and DDF (Drama, Debate, Forensics) and All State music students are beginning to prepare for the fall competitions in November. Hockey, Wrestling, Cross-Country Skiing, and Basketball seasons will be upon us before we know it. Please check the ASD Activities link for the most updated schedules and please come out and support our students.

Coming soon! The Jungle Book is the Di-mond Drama Department’s musical selection for this year. Performances are November 4, 5, 11, and 12. Be sure to purchase your tickets as soon as they go on sale as this year’s shows are already promising to sell-out early.

Every newsletter article that I wrote last year and will write this year contains informa-tion about the NCAA Eligibility Center. Any

student who thinks s/he might be interested in pursuing athletics after high school should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center by no later than their junior year in high school. Parents, you and your student should explore and register with the NCAA if your student is even remotely interested in pursuing athletics after high school. The most pressing reason for your student to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center is to ensure that your student is enrolled in NCAA-approved classes while attending high school. Please be sure your student is registered with the NCAA Eligi-bility Center and is taking NCAA-approved academic courses while in high school. Your student’s counselor is an excellent reference for your questions in addition to the follow-ing websites.

https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/stu-dent/index_student.html

https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/com-mon/

October is full of school activities, the end of first quarter, and the end of October then quickly leads to the holiday season, December, and the conclusion of first semester. Like a car on cruise control headed for your final destina-tion, the end of the quarter and semester can arrive sooner than you think. Parents, please remind your students to maintain their good academic standing and, like checking the oil level or gas gauge in a car, remind them to check their grades through StudentConnect on a regular basis. Athletics and activities are wonderful ways to engage students in school and life; however, too much time spent on activities and too little on academics can bring a student’s world at school to an abrupt stop that requires a detour to on-line credit recovery courses and Summer School rather than academic and activity accolades. Please check your student’s progress regularly with ParentConnect and, again, encourage your student to check her/his progress with Stu-dentConnect as well.

If I have not already seen you at one of our many events this fall, I look forward to seeing you soon out supporting our students in their endeavors. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me via e-mail at Walker_Patricia@asdk12.org or phone at 742-6996. Happy October!

2011 Activity & Athletic Interest Survey – Grades 4 - 12 only

The 2011 Activity & Athletic Interest Student Survey is being done to provide schools with information about student interests in athletics. This is an annual survey implemented and analyzed jointly by the ASD departments of Equal Employment Opportunity, High School Education, Middle School Education, Elementary Education, and Assessment and Evaluation. This survey is a tool for understanding what interests our students have and how we can better serve their interests, while also meeting the federal requirements for Title IX. The survey will take place in computer labs at your child’s school between October 11 and November 18 of 2011.

This survey does not require parental permission and will be administered to all students in grades 4 - 12. This mes-sage serves as a notice to parents about this upcoming survey.

The questions contained in the student questionnaire ask about student interest in activities and athletics.

Please follow or type this link to review the survey: http://www.asdk12.org/depts/assess_eval/athlsurvey.asp

Dimond High SchoolClubs and Activities

The following organizations/activities are open to students. An asterisk (*) denotes activities which

requires enrollment in a class.

AM. CANCER SOC. CLUB............... Dererra GERMAN CLUB/GNHS........................TBA

ANIME CLUB..................................... Matz GREEN EFFECT.....................................Valantas Haynes

ART CLUB .......................................... Matz J.R.O.T.C.*...............................................Shelley

ASIAN CLUB...................................... Paskvan KEY CLUB..............................................Hammerstrom

BAND*................................................. J. Edwards MODEL UN CLUB.................................Wheeles

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS A. ........... Brewer MU ALPHA THETA ..............................Stark

BOOK CLUB....................................... Metcalfe MULTICULTURAL CLUB ...................TBA

BREAK DANCE CLUB..................... Littee MUSIC CLUB .........................................J. Edwards

CHESS CLUB...................................... Brown, Bannish NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY...........Brown

CHRISTIAN CLUB ............................ L. Wheeles ORCHESTRA*........................................Tornfelt

CHOIR*................................................ TBA RARE-T PEER EDUCATORS ..............Lemmerman

CLASS OF 12 ...................................... Nurmi, Sanderson RIFLE CLUB...........................................Snead, Staats

CLASS OF 13 ...................................... Anderson, TBA ROLE PLAYER ANONYMOUS ..........Roach, Russell, Vaughn

CLASS OF 14 ...................................... Melican, McCoy SCIENCE & ENGINEERING CLUB....Roach

CLASS OF 15 ...................................... Campbell, Fisher SPECIAL OLYMPICS PARTNERS .....Arms, Ducher

CYSTIC FIBROSIS AWARENESS.. Stark STRING CLUB .......................................Tornfelt

D CLUB ............................................... Snead STUDENT GOVERNMENT* ...............Wheeles

DIMOND DRAMA CLUB................. W. Keller VIDEO GAMERS CLUB .......................Hartley

DIMOND KARAOKE CLUB............ Bassett VIDEO MAKERS CLUB .......................Vaughn

DIMOND PIPE BAND ....................... Brown YEARBOOK* .........................................Sanderson

FRENCH CLUB .................................. Hopkins Z CLUB....................................................Nurmi

GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCE .......... Derrera, A. Brewer

Visit the Dimond High School Website for up-to-date information on our school and events at http://www.asdk12.org/schools/dimond/pages/.

A. J. DIMOND HIGH SCHOOL

COACH’S ASSESSMENT FORM (Circle One) PLAYER PARENT

Parent/Students:

We are seeking your input to review our sport/athletic programs. Your opinion is taken into

consideration when evaluating our programs and identifying patterns of support or concern. Please take a

few moments of your time to fill out this short survey. Your input is anonymous unless you add your

name. However, recognize that the form and your written comments will be shared with the person for

whom you are providing input. Please try to focus on comments that will reward a person for good

performance or make specific suggestions on how performance might improve. Please return this

assessment form via U.S. mail or bring it by the Activities Office. Thank you.

SPORT_______________________________ LEVEL (Circle) C JV V

COACH’S NAME_______________________________ DATE: ________________

Please rate the coach in each area on a scale from 1-5, with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent. Circle the

appropriate number or NA if not applicable, or if you are not able to rate the coach in an area.

Poor Fair Good Very Good Excellent NA

1) Communication w/parents 1 2 3 4 5 NA

2) Communication w/ players 1 2 3 4 5 NA

3) Organizational skills 1 2 3 4 5 NA

4) Motivation of players/team 1 2 3 4 5 NA

5) Discipline of team/players 1 2 3 4 5 NA

6) Knowledge of the sport 1 2 3 4 5 NA

7) Game strategy 1 2 3 4 5 NA

8) Prevention and care of injuries 1 2 3 4 5 NA

9) Attitude/Conduct during game 1 2 3 4 5 NA

10) Attitude/Conduct of players 1 2 3 4 5 NA

11) Ability to teach skills 1 2 3 4 5 NA

12) Overall rating of coach 1 2 3 4 5 NA

Please add any comments below or on a separate sheet of paper.

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________Name (optional)____________________________

PLEASE RETURN TO: Dimond H.S. Activities Office, 2909 W. 88th

Ave, Anchorage AK 99502

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

A. J. Dimond High School2909 W. 88th Avenue

Anchorage, AK 99502

Non-ProfitOrganization

U. S. POSTAGEPAID

Permit #258Anchorage, Alaska

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERSMain Line (Switchboard) 742-7000Main FAX 742-7007Attendance Office 742-7009Registrar 742-7026Counseling/Guidance 742-7008Activities/Athletics 742-7005Nurse 742-7052Career Resource Center 742-7020Student Services 742-7056

A. J . DIMOND HIGH SCHOOL

Visit our Dimond High School Website for current information on our school and activities @ http://www.asdk12.org/schools/dimond/pages/

To The Parent or Guardian of:

SCHOOL BUSINESS PARTNERS:American Legion Spenard Post 28Dimond Alumni FoundationAnchorage Kiwanis ClubTastee FreezU.S.K.H.Siemens Building TechnologiesGCI Communications CorpMichael Foster & AssociatesDavis Construction & Engineers Inc.Enterprise Engineering Inc.Papa Murphy’s Steam DotHalliburtonOrthopedic Physicians AnchorageReger Physical Therapy