D I M O N D

A.J. Dimond High School Community Newsletter April 2015

Letter from the Principal

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Anchorage School BoardEric Croft, PresidentTam Agosti-Gisler

Bettye DavisPat Higgins

Cameron Perez-VerdiaKathleen Plunket

Natasha von ImhofSuperintendent

Ed Graff

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.

Greetings Parents and Guardians-Happy Spring!

Amazing Successes! In the last few weeks there have been recognitions of academic

achievement, athletic championships and club honors. The success of our stu-dents is in part due to the shared vision of excellence. We work every year to foster student interest and provide opportunities

for students to “stretch.” In collaboration with families, we provide a caring com-munity and school climate that encourages students to be actively engaged in learn-ing and the school community. Your en-couragement and support of your students learning and high school experience is greatly appreciated. Thank you for being involved in the learning process of your student.

Dimond staff and teachers are out-standing. They consistently demonstrate a strong commitment and dedication to our students. This semester three of Di-mond’s teachers were recognized for their work with students and the school commu-nity. Les Matz, art teacher, received the Governor’s Award for Arts: Arts Educa-tion Award, Suzanne Metcalfe, librarian, was named by the Alaskan Association of School Librarians as Librarian of the Year and John Snead, math teacher and School Business Partnership Dimond High Coor-dinator, received the ASD SBP Executive

Director Award for exemplary coordina-tor of the year. We applaud them for their commitment to excellence!

In the month of April we will be adminis-tering the AMP test. The Alaska Measures of Progress are more challenging and more engaging than the previous test. The most significant change for students is that the test will be taken on a computer. There is detailed information provided in the news-letter regarding the dates and times for test-ing. Students are encouraged to get plenty of rest and eat a healthy breakfast on test-ing days. Although, the test is new and ad-ministration of the test is via computer, we are encouraging students to do their best and take the test seriously.

As we approach the end of the school year, we encourage students to work hard and finish strong. Please continue your contact with teachers and the counselor to assist you with any concerns regarding academic progress.

Warm Regards,Tina Johnson-Harris

April 1 12:08 pmDepartment Awards

In the Gym

April 7 7:00 pmJazz Concert

In the Auditeria

April 8 6:30 pmEngineering Academy

In MPR 1

April 16 7:00 pmHonor Grad Ceremony

In the Auditeria

April 17 & 18 7:00 pmDNL Live

In the Auditeria

April 24 7:00 pmJROTC Change of Command

In the Gym

April 25 8:00 pmProm

At the Dena’ina Center

April 27 7:00 pmMaroon & Gold Night

In the Commons

April 28 6:00 pmStudent Government Inauguration

In the Commons

April 29 7:00 pmDimond Awards Night

In the Auditeria

April 30 7:00 pmChoir Concert

In the Auditeria

Frank Hauser, Curriculum Assistant Principal - 742-7008

CURRICULUM NEWS

Gifted Mentorship Program

Attention Sophomores and Juniors: Applications are being accepted for the Gifted Mentorship Program for the 2015-16 school year. You must meet GPA, coursework, and standardized test score requirements to qualify. Students spend 45-60 hours with a mentor in their field of interest and complete various assignments, including a final project. Visit the web site for more information: http://www.asdk12.org/giftedprogram/highschool/giftedmentorships/ or contact the coordinator, Amber Jaasma, jaasma_amber@asdk12.org 742-3841

Spring is in the air, and it’s time to think about testing and graduation! As we make

our way toward the proverbial finishing line, it’s important to remember that we still have a lot to ac-complish before the end of the school year, and like all great races, the win-ners are often the

ones who push through to the end and fin-ish strong.

April is the month of AMP (Alaska Measures of Progress) testing. The new, computer-based Alaska Measures of Prog-ress (AMP) test replaces the SBAs. The AMP test administration at Dimond will consist of two, three-hour sections (Eng-lish Language Arts and Math) and will take approximately two days to complete. Freshmen will start AMP testing on Tues-day, April 14, with the final tests com-pleted on Friday, April 17. Sophomore students will take the test on Tuesday, April 21 and Wednesday, April 22. Make-up tests for students missing their assigned testing days will take place during the fol-lowing windows: April 16–24 for fresh-men and April 22–May 1 for sophomores. For more information about AMP testing, please visit www.asdk12.org/ae/amp or contact the Dimond Curriculum Office.

Dimond Awards Night is coming soon, so seniors, please notify Ms. Kim Lauw-ers (lauwers_kimberly@asdk12.org), in the CRC, of any scholarship money that has been awarded to you. You can also pick up an awards form in the CRC or cur-riculum office to submit to Ms. Lauwers. We would like to know about all scholar-ships received, whether they are accepted or not, so we can recognize these accom-plishments at the Dimond Awards Night ceremony.

Seniors, mark your calendars! Dimond graduation will take place at the Sulli-

van Arena on Wednesday, May 13th at 2:00 pm. Seniors will take their finals on Thursday, May 7th and Friday, May 8th. These are critically important days for se-niors. Seniors, if you want to guarantee that you will be eligible to walk at gradua-tion, please make sure that you are present and prepared for finals, that you submit all class work on time, and that you complete any outstanding correspondence or on-line courses at least a week in advance. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to cele-brate thirteen years of education with your friends, family, and our community.

For those students who will be return-ing next year, spring is a great time to look at credit completion thus far. Stu-dents need 22.5 credits to graduate. Each year, students can earn six of those cred-its by passing all of their classes both se-mesters. Ninth- through eleventh-grade students who have earned fewer than 5.5 credits in any given school year are con-sidered behind in credits. If your student is in this situation, please talk with his or her counselor about the various options of credit recovery. Parents/guardians wishing to check their students’ transcripts can do so via Zangle Parent Connect. Our goals are to keep students on track to graduate and quickly catch up any students who fall behind.

Tutoring opportunities in math and sci-ence classes have been expanded at Di-mond. If you are in need of tutoring or want some extra help as we approach the

end of the school year, please take advan-tage of the following opportunities:• After-school math tutoring Monday through Friday, from 2:00 – 3:00, in B101 with Ms. Melville• Math/science tutoring Monday through Friday, during Upperclassman Lunch, in B208 with Mr. Stange• Math tutoring Monday through Friday, during Freshman Lunch, in Relo 7 with Mr. Hodes

Upcoming EventsTuesday, March 31ACT Make-up Exam

Wednesday, April 1WorkKeys Make-up Exam

Thursday, April 2Senior Meeting – Gym at 1:05 pm

Tuesday, April 14 – Friday, April 17Freshmen AMP Testing – Students will be assigned a testing time consisting of two, three-hour blocks: one for the English LA AMP test and one for the Math AMP test.

Thursday, April 16Navy Recruiter visit – main foyer at 11:20 am

Tuesday, April 21 – Wednesday, April 22Sophomore AMP Testing – Students will be assigned a testing time consisting of two, three-hour blocks: one for the English LA AMP test and one for the Math AMP test.

Wednesday, April 29SAT Make-up Exam

Dimond AMP Testing Bell Schedules

Freshmen test from Tuesday, April 14 though Friday, April 17 Tuesday and Thursday Bell Schedule Wednesday and Friday Bell Schedule Period 1 ----- 7:30 - 8:23 Period 4 ----- 7:30 - 8:23 Period 2 ----- 8:29 - 9:22 Period 5 ----- 8:29 - 9:22 Period 3 ----- 9:28 - 10:21 Period 6 ----- 9:28 - 10:21 Lunch ----- 10:21 - 11:03 Lunch ----- 10:21 - 11:03 Period 4 ----- 11:09 - 12:02 Period 1 ----- 11:09 - 12:02 Period 5 ----- 12:08 - 1:01 Period 2 ----- 12:08 - 1:01 Period 6 ----- 1:07 - 2:00 Period 3 ----- 1:07 - 2:00 Sophomores test on Tuesday, April 21 and Wednesday, April 22 Tuesday, April 21 Bell Schedule Wednesday, April 22 Bell Schedule Period 1 ----- 7:30 - 8:23 Period 4 ----- 7:30 - 8:23 Period 2 ----- 8:29 - 9:22 Period 5 ----- 8:29 - 9:22 Period 3 ----- 9:28 - 10:21 Period 6 ----- 9:28 - 10:21 Lunch ----- 10:21 - 11:03 Lunch ----- 10:21 - 11:03 Period 4 ----- 11:09 - 12:02 Period 1 ----- 11:09 - 12:02 Period 5 ----- 12:08 - 1:01 Period 2 ----- 12:08 - 1:01 Period 6 ----- 1:07 - 2:00 Period 3 ----- 1:07 - 2:00

Dimond AMP FAQ Q: How many tests are there in the AMP assessment? A: The AMP will have two subtests: English language arts and math. Q: How many days will I be testing and for how long? A: Students will test for a total of two days, one for each subtest, for three hours each day. Q: How will my student be scheduled for AMP testing? A: Students will be assigned an AMP testing group based on the English class in which they are enrolled. Q: Why are freshmen testing over four days and sophomores testing over two? A: There are more freshmen testing than sophomores, so Dimond needs a larger testing window for freshmen. However, all students taking the AMP test at Dimond will only test for two days. Q: Why is the Dimond bell schedule flip-flopped over testing? A: The Dimond bell scheduled was changed in an effort to minimize the impact of testing on classroom instruction. With the modified bell schedule, each student will only miss one class period due to testing. Q: When I am done testing, can I use my phone if I am quiet? A: No, electronic devices are not allowed in the testing room. An electronic device is defined as any item with an on/off switch. We encourage students to bring a book to read once they finish testing. Any electronic devices in the testing room will be collected prior to testing and could invalidate the test. For more information about AMP testing, please visit www.asdk12.org/ae/amp or contact the Dimond Curriculum Office.

Spring Academic Awardees

 

ACADEMIC LETTERS Rochelle Baluyut Cassidy Burke Baylee Cantrell Douglas Dickinson Sean Gardeline Robert Guy Darrian Hann Breann Harris Chrisalyn Johnson Elizabeth Leisle Hattie Little-Burgener Jashala Liverman Tyler Orth Naomi Ratcliffe Micah Rickard Evan Seaman Anthony Taylor Jordan Tufaga Connor Weiss SILVER STARS Clarifel Agtarap Tian Ah You Justin Amor Ginger Ashby Evgin Aygun Samantha Baltierra Judy-Ann Banez Lilly Bee Ariana Benavides Aidan Boeckmann Ace Brown Emily Carey Haley Carney Thomas Chon Raymond Clayton Jayson Cristobal Sharmaine Daquis Gavin Davis Whitney Demarco Kelson Denton Claire Dieckgraeff Jack Divelbiss

Lauren Dobbs Henry Downey Frances Dun Allison Dupre Kelsey Eagle Samantha Edington Ozair El-Omari Chase Erickson Jeremiah Faatoafe Madeline Flores Jade Fronteras Anna Glover Elizabeth Goodrum Tuan Graziano Nathaniel Hall Makenzie Heatherly Erica Heil Michaela Hendricks Victor Hernandez Jack Hoen Madeline Howard Eric Jenkins Loricelle Juan Shameah Keisala-Jones Kailey Kenning So Won Kim Reese Kodama Kelsey Kroon Laura Kuk Ethan Kwon Lillian Lewis Cassandra Lindall Karla Llaneza Robeline Llaneza Quinn McClure Jastice Erlyne Medel Connor Merrill Jenna Mixson Emma Morgan Kyle Morrison Seng Moua Athit Nitisaporn Daria Orlova Emma Ostberg

Janelle Owen Francis Pacillo Merry Paek Spencer Penman Christine Petersen Caitlin Peterson Cooper Plumhoff Naomi Price Jasmine Redgrave Kendra Robbins Samantha Robertson-Rozanski Calvin Rodgers Gabrielle Schuman Hannah Seaman Katera Seybert Allison Shafer Bristol Shields Breanne Smith Jeffrey Spraker Tami Suenram Daija Sypakanphay Kobe Thammavongsa Sydney Thyen Callum Toohey Charles Tung Nicolas Villa Fuerte Edgar Villasenor Ellie Wells Patrice Whetten Roslyn White Rebecca Wiesinger Kendal Williams Isabella Work Caroline Wrenn Yael Yisrael Shi Yuan Ebtehal Zeid GOLD STARS Celine Abello Nathan Alfano Joseph Amodemo Joshua An

                                                                                                                                               

Justine Anderson Cora Berbig Gabriel Berbig Rachel Brady Sarah Bylsma Morgan Byrne James Campbell Tanya Charoonsophonsak David Chouinard Fred Chun Christopher Chung Makayla Clark Ethan Cleveland Lauren Cole Adannah Daniel Bryce Davis Austin Desatoff Raimey Drew Julie DuClos Tyler Dunn Vladislav Finko Pearl Foster Shianne Frable Alexandra Freeman Cara Frischkorn Alexander Gill Liezel Lynn Giron Lowell Giron Jenna Graham Jae Ham Jacob Hanni Hayden Hanson Cassandra Hartley Hannah Hartwell Keith Harvey Devin Higbee Trent Hodson Keely Holt Kobe Norman Huang Anh Huynh Su Jin In Serena Inoue James Janezich

21

Heather Jensen Breanna Jingco Claire Johansen Nicholas Johansen Darby Judd Lucas Katz Erin Kim Jacob Kinder Jasmine Langmann Madeleine LaPorte Adam Liland Joshua Lindsey David Liu Jia Liu Rachel Lowrance Andrew Luiken Makayla Maisey Aubrey Manculich William Maniss Seamus McCarty Collin McClellan Roslyn McCormack Savannah Melendez Jackson Mills Remington Morris Beatrice O'Campo William Orth Savanah Owen Samantha Paskvan Zachary Piscitelli Greenwald Briannah Pugh Brent Quinn Elizabeth Randall Caroline Requa Adam Ripley Ann Roberts Arianna Rohde Peter Saengsudham Kevin Sargent Ripple Sato Robert Schock John Sedor Alexis Solis

Ho Song Abigail Stahl Kaily Stanton Breanna Stevens Kyle Stone Brynn Sulte Michael Summers Andrea Swanstrom Brian Sweeney Abbigail Utley Connor Van Alstine Martinlouie Victa Jovan Villamanca Liesel Von Imhof Margaret Walker Erin Ward

Spring Academic Awardees

                                                                                                                                               

Justine Anderson Cora Berbig Gabriel Berbig Rachel Brady Sarah Bylsma Morgan Byrne James Campbell Tanya Charoonsophonsak David Chouinard Fred Chun Christopher Chung Makayla Clark Ethan Cleveland Lauren Cole Adannah Daniel Bryce Davis Austin Desatoff Raimey Drew Julie DuClos Tyler Dunn Vladislav Finko Pearl Foster Shianne Frable Alexandra Freeman Cara Frischkorn Alexander Gill Liezel Lynn Giron Lowell Giron Jenna Graham Jae Ham Jacob Hanni Hayden Hanson Cassandra Hartley Hannah Hartwell Keith Harvey Devin Higbee Trent Hodson Keely Holt Kobe Norman Huang Anh Huynh Su Jin In Serena Inoue James Janezich

21

Heather Jensen Breanna Jingco Claire Johansen Nicholas Johansen Darby Judd Lucas Katz Erin Kim Jacob Kinder Jasmine Langmann Madeleine LaPorte Adam Liland Joshua Lindsey David Liu Jia Liu Rachel Lowrance Andrew Luiken Makayla Maisey Aubrey Manculich William Maniss Seamus McCarty Collin McClellan Roslyn McCormack Savannah Melendez Jackson Mills Remington Morris Beatrice O'Campo William Orth Savanah Owen Samantha Paskvan Zachary Piscitelli Greenwald Briannah Pugh Brent Quinn Elizabeth Randall Caroline Requa Adam Ripley Ann Roberts Arianna Rohde Peter Saengsudham Kevin Sargent Ripple Sato Robert Schock John Sedor Alexis Solis

Ho Song Abigail Stahl Kaily Stanton Breanna Stevens Kyle Stone Brynn Sulte Michael Summers Andrea Swanstrom Brian Sweeney Abbigail Utley Connor Van Alstine Martinlouie Victa Jovan Villamanca Liesel Von Imhof Margaret Walker Erin Ward

Tim Helvey, Activities Assistant Principal - 742-6996ACTIVITIES NEWS

We don’t tend to have as many concus-sions with spring sports, but it is good to be aware of the concussion policy in case you are not familiar with the protocol.

Alaska School Activities Associa-tion (ASAA) Con-

cussion Management Policy: This is a guide to help parents understand the steps taken for concussed athletes.

In 2011, the Alaska State Legislature passed House Bill 15 and Senate Bill 22, requiring school districts to consult with Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA) to develop and publish guidelines and other information to educate coaches, student athletes, and parents of student athletes regarding the nature and risks of concussions. Guidelines must include a de-scription of the risks of return to play and standards for return to play, including pro-cedures required under sections (c) and (d) of Section 14.30.142, Concussions in Stu-dent Athletes: Prevention and Reporting.

Return to Play Protocol - Only when the concussion symptoms have been entirely absent for 24 hours, and the healthcare professional has cleared the athlete to be-gin the Return to Play Protocol, does Day 1 of the progressive return to physical ac-tivity begin. The Return To Play Protocol is to take place over a minimum of six days, with at least 24 hours between each step. The rate of progression through the steps in the program should be individu-alized. Factors which may slow the rate are young age, history of previous concus-sions, number/severity/duration of concus-sion symptoms, medical risk factors, and the concussion risk of the sports to which the athlete will return. Physical or cogni-tive activity that provokes recurrence of concussive symptoms will delay recovery and increase the risk of future concussion. Therefore, if symptoms recur at any step, then physical activity should stop for 24

hours and resume at the previous step.

Gradual Return to Play

Day 1:• Begin when symptom free for 24 hours.• 15 min light aerobic activity (walk, swim, stationary bike, no resistance train-ing).• If no symptoms, then:

Day 2:• 30 min light-mod aerobic activity (jog, more intense walk, swim, stationary bike, no resistance training).• If no symptoms, then:

Day 3:• 30 min mod-heavy aerobic activity (run, swim, cycle, skate, Nordic ski, no resis-tance training).• If no symptoms, then:

Day 4:• 30 min heavy aerobic (hard run, swim, cycle, skate, Nordic ski) • 15 min Resistance Training (push-up, sit-up, weightlifting) • If no symptoms, then:

Day 5: • Return to Practice, Non-contact Lim-ited Participation (Routine sport-specific drills).• If no symptoms, then:

Day 6: • Return to Full-Contact Practice• If no symptoms, then:

Day 7:• Medically Eligible for Competition when completes RTP Protocol and is cleared by Healthcare Professional• ASAA Eligibility Criteria must be met before return to competition.Forms and other information can be locat-ed @ http://asaa.org/sports-medicine/

Now that winter sport are officially done, please fill out the coaches assessment form. This form is used each year for coaches evaluations. Parents and athletes are asked to each complete the assessment.

In the Art Community...

Lynx artists and writers were honored for their work submitted to the 2015 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. This is a middle and high school juried com-petition for the entire state of Alaska. Just being selected means a great deal. The awards ceremony was celebrated at the Hugi-Lewis Gallery where there is an exhibit of the award-winning art and writing until Valentine's Day.

Eunhee Cha, Beatrice O'Campo, Serena Inoue, Lauren Peterson, Carrie McCro-rie, Brandi Weidler, and Amy Cordell received Honorable Mention in writing. Christopher Chung, Jasmine Langman, and Rachel Lowrance received Silver Key awards for writing. Sujin In, Rachel Lowrance, Savanah Owen, Adrian Solis, and Rachel War-ner received Honorable Mention for art. Emily Gordon received a Silver Key for art. Celine Abello, Kernell Vilamor, and Caelen Walker received Gold Keys for Art. The Gold Key awards will now be judged at the national level for Scho-lastic medals. Two of Dimond's Gold Key winners, Celine Abello and Caelen Walker received additional honors by being selected for the American Visions Award. Their work will travel to be ex-hibited in New York City and automati-cally receive national gold medals. Local arts groups awarded their own prizes. Selections were not based on Scholastic awards and Dimond students earned more recognition and cash. Ce-line Abello won the Watercolor Society Award for $250, Caelen Walker won the Fairbanks Potters Association award for $250, and Kernell Vilamor won the AK Metal Arts Guild award and received a complete jewelry tool set.

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

STUDENT SERVICES/ATTENDANCE NEWSHolly Morris, Student Services/Attendance Assistant Principal - 742-7056

 

Dimond  High  School  Class  of  2015  

BACCALAUREATE  SERVICE  

A  non-­‐denominational  service  of  inspiration  and  blessing  will  be  held  for  the  

Class  of  2015  graduates  and  their  families  on  

Monday,  May  11th  at  7:00  pm  City  Church  

1301  W.  100th  Avenue        Anchorage    

R E M E M B E R

All ASD Buildings areDrug, Alcohol and Tobacco Free

Campuses

This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

We have all heard “there is no time like the present.” This adage means a lot to students this time of the year; third quar-ter has ended and there is only one quarter remaining for the end of the school year.

Seniors are looking forward to gradua-tion. We encourage them to stay on target and on task. Activities like Senior Fun Day and Graduation are just around the corner.

Juniors are planning their senior year. With graduation only a year away, courses are being counted, classes being scheduled and post-graduation plans are budding.

Sophomores are looking at opportuni-ties available through King Career Cen-

ter studies as well as continued studies in areas in order to refine skills and further explore interests.

Freshman are finishing their first year in high school and planning the next step in their high school careers.

All students must maintain their efforts. Timely arrival and class attendance are key to finishing strong this semester.

FRESHMAN HOUSE NEWSImtiaz Azzam, Freshman House Assistant Principal - 742-7069

We are in the final quarter of the school year, I would like to remind our parents how important it is to continue to mon-itor our fresh-men students’ academic prog-ress. It is impor-tant to remind our students to

stay focused and to make sure that they are turning in all their work. Your students can certainly finish the school year strong with your support. Please make sure to stay in touch with the teachers, counselor, or you can call me directly so we can formulate a plan to keep students on track for their success. I believe the more we communi-cate with one another, the more our students Prosper.

We recently held our annual Future Freshman Fair with an estimated 450+ students and parents in attendance. During the fair, prospective students were able to

visit the many informational booths staffed by Dimond’s student leaders, athletes and

teachers. The booths focused on Dimond’s many clubs and sports opportunities. The fair provided students and parents a chance to meet with counselors and de-

partment chairs for a brief overview of academic programs. Counselors assisted in facilitating the fair and fielding questions throughout the presentations. We are look-ing forward to getting to know next year’s freshman as we continue our transition ac-tivities for the remainder of the year.

Working Together for Lifelong Success. Ways to deal with anger. Your teens prob-ably get angry at times. It’s natural a re-sponse. But how they handle their anger is what is important.

✧ Admit your feelings. Say to yourself, “I am mad.” If you identify how you feel, you will be more in control.

✧ Calm down. Go somewhere else for a little while, if possible. Or try breath-ing deeply, stretching, and counting to 100.

✧ Talk it out. Has someone made you angry? Calmly tell your student you are upset, and explain why. If you are angry about a situation, find a friend to talk to. You may feel better when you get things off your chest.

✧ Let it pass. Once you have talked things out, move on. Try not to dwell on the incident. Focus on something that makes you feel better, such as a recent success or an event you are looking forward to.

Phenomenal Freshman

Our fourth Phenomenal Freshman Awards Ceremony for this year was held in March. Being selected for this recogni-tion is an honor and receiving this award is our way of acknowledging students for a demonstrating exceptional qualities.

Again congratulations to the last month’s Phenomenal Freshman recipients of this award:Alden Butzke; Mairin Andrews; Dayna Brice; Cally Lawhead; Katie Austin; Geneva Shook; Racquel Mi-cheletto; Horojah Jawara; Claire Miller; Victoria Johansen;Tanner Watson;Lexus Smith;Lily Wojtacha;Caleb Bernsten; An-drea Trimor, and Jane Daum

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ENGINEERING ACADEMY NEWSLea Bouton, Marcus Reese, Wade Roach, Zion Russell & Chaz Vaughn

Dimond Robotics - Winning Awards and Helping OthersBoth the big and little robots from the Dimond Engineering teams are earning recognition on several levels this spring. Members from both the FRC (big) team “Nerds of the North Team 568” and the FTC (little) teams “SnowBots” and “’Cuz Y Not?” helped at the Kincaid Elementary STEM Night in early March. Students transported all 3 robots to the elementary school and helped young students drive them to help encourage early enthusi-asm in the subjects of science, technol-ogy, engineering, and math. In addition, Dale Rooney provided several 3D printers to show off the technology of the future. Outreach is a big item for each FIRST Robotics team as they put together their comprehensive portfolios, which include outreach, team academics, and the robot scores during competition.

On the competition side of the house – Di-mond teams are hard to beat! At the state FTC Competition the “SnowBots” and

“Cuz Y Not?” placed 1st and 2nd, respec-tively. Both teams are traveling to the FTC SuperRegions Competition in Oak-land, CA in April. While at the State Competition (where

32 teams competed), the academic endeav-ors of junior Julie DuClos was recognized with the Dean’s List Award. Coach Zion Russell was awarded the Compass Award for his outstanding contributions as an FTC Coach and Mentor. Both awards are

very well deserved. The FRC Team, un-der the leadership of Coach Wade Roach and senior Andrew Peperone are currently traveling to the Regional Competition in Sacramento, CA.

CANstruction ends with success!

The can structure “Anchor(age)” was built in approximately 9 hours by 22 students, and was comprised of approximately 4000 cans. When competing against 7 other teams from local engineering firms, our sculpture was awarded the “Best Meal” award by a panel of judges. This award signifies that the cans included in “Anchor(age)” met the needs of the Food Bank of Alaska best. This award is what the students designed the structure for – with an emphasis on foods that hungry teens could easily prepare and would find appetizing to include soups and canned fruits. With the help of the Dimond com-munity, we met our fundraising goal and raised $2000 through our generous spon-sors at South Anchorage Rotary, RSA En-gineering, Inc, Davis Construction, and BP in addition to a few individual donations. Enterprise Engineering sponsors the other 50% of our structure through financial do-nations. We also contributed an additional 887 cans in the Peoples Choice competi-tion. Thank you Dimond!

Engineering Evening is Wednesday, April 8, 2015We will celebrate all of our graduating seniors with a final poster session and award ceremony in the Dimond Multi-Purpose Room. The

poster session will begin at approximately 5:30 and will be followed by the award ceremony at 6:30. This ceremony will rec-ognize all of our Engineering Achievement Cord earners in addition to those who will receive the Engineering Completion Cord. We hope you will join us for an evening of intellectual engagement and celebration!

DIMOND NIGHT LIVE!!

IT’S THE 10TH YEARANNIVERSARY SHOW!

Dimond Night Live will be hosting it’s 10th year anniversary show on April 17 and 18th at 7 p.m. in the Di-mond Auditeria. This is a show that is loosely based on Saturday Night Live. It is largely student written and directed. The staff involved are: Ms. Dubie, Ms. Melican-Nevala, Ms. Melville, Ms. Romo, Ms. Smith, Ms. Stutzer, Mr. Vaughn, Ms. Davies, Ms. Golde, Ms. Hammerstrom, Ms. Long, Ms. Valantas. Tickets will be on sale at lunch and at the door for $5. Pro-ceeds go to senior scholarships.

Come watch a hilarious tradition!

PTSAMichele Schuh, President

The Dimond High School PTSA started this semester with a majority of new offi-cers and renewed energy. Outgoing associ-ation President Maria Humecky welcomed in new President Michele Schuh. The of-fice of Treasurer transitioned from Teresa Bernard to Tiffany Hoogerhyde. Kelly Lee Williams joined the board as Vice President. In January, Melissa Hermes was also elected Vice President to fill the Vice President role vacated by Ginger Jenkins. These new officers join Becky Roth, Lem Wheeles, and Tina Johnson-Harris as board members. A big thank you and lots of grat-itude go out to the outgoing board mem-bers who have served the goals of the DHS PTSA with energy and commitment. Gin-ger will continue to work with the school store team through this school year.

The PTSA had a busy first quarter of the year. We hosted the Teacher Apprecia-tion Luncheon during conferences; many thanks to all the parents and volunteers who made this event a terrific success, led by our new coordinator, Patrick Hooger-hyde. We greeted new incoming freshman students and parents to Dimond during Freshman Orientation and sold lots of spirit wear to the incoming class, a PTSA fund-raising activity. Many thanks are extended to Becky Roth and Michael Schuh for their salesmanship.

Continuing recognition and thanks to all parents who volunteer at the school store, our PTSA primary fund raising activ-ity. The presence of parents in the school demonstrates to students our commitment to their education and success. Through the volunteer operation of the store, PTSA awarded $18,000 in teacher grants dur-ing February, in addition to the $11,000 in teacher grants awarded this past fall se-mester. Grant purposes included funds for assorted science equipment, sports ortho-pedic equipment, calculators, dictionaries and language translators, a laptop, fitness equipment, sound equipment, band equip-ment and guest artists program, tennis

backboards, choir music and accompanist funding, music software, cheer uniforms, as well as funding to support a health fair, senior fun day, boat races, math and robot-ics competitions, Maroon and Gold schol-arships, and the Smart Girls Rock engi-neering program among others.

We have committee positions available so contact us if you have interest in joining our team. We are looking for assistance with volunteer and membership coordina-tion and communications. We value your energy and ideas. If you have been waiting to be asked, please consider this your invi-tation to reach out and add your energy to the PTSA, whether a little or a lot.

The PTSA is here to serve the collective students, teachers, and parents of Dimond High School with resources, support, in-formation, and to promote a productive academic environment where academic, athletic, talent, and emotional development thrives. Check out the PTSA links on the DHS website at www.dimondhigh.com/ptsa for more information. You can email the PTSA officers as dimondvolunteers@gmail.com to volunteer or provide feed-back. Your PTSA board meets monthly; dates are posted on the DHS/PTSA web-site. Our next Membership Meeting will occur later this spring. If you haven’t al-ready signed up to be a member, the mem-bership form is on the website.

Important Senior Dates and InformationClass of 2015

from your Senior Class Sponsors: Nurmi and Nevala

April 2nd Senior meeting, Large Gym 1-2April 16th Honors Night @ DHS 7pmApril 17-18 DNL @ DHS 7pmApril 24th ROTC Change of Command @ DHS 7pmApril 25th Prom @ Dena’ina 8pmApril 27th Maroon and Gold Night @ DHS 7pmApril 29th Academic Awards @ DHS 7pmMay 1st Senior Fun Day @ ATT Center, 9-1, permission slip requiredMay 6th IN Graduation @ DHS, MPR 11:30May 6th Japanese Immersion Ceremony @ DHS 7pmMay 7th Senior FinalsMay 8th Senior FinalsMay 8th Graduation Rehearsal @ DHS 9:30, Gym May 11th Baccalaureate @ City Church 7pmMay 13th Graduation

Have you ordered your CAP & GOWN?

It’s not too late. Go to Jostens website: www.jostens.com and type in A.J. Dimond High School in the high school field. Follow the links for your cap and gown. If you have ques-tions call Scott Brown at our lo-cal Jostens office 562-2001.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT NEWSLem Wheeles, Advisor - wheeles_lem@asdk12.org

Student Government Elections Student Government elections are underway.

Students interested in serving must complete paperwork and a petition by Friday, April 3, 2:30 PM. Questions? Want paperwork? See Mr. Wheeles, the Student Government

Advisor, in room B103. Class of 2019 Visits Dimond The Dimond High School Class of 2019 made their first visit to Dimond on March 18 and 19. Over 350 eighth-grade students from Mears Middle School visited Dimond to learn about their future school. The Freshman House Team of Ms. Azzam, Ms. Boyd, and Mr. Kubosh welcomed the students to Dimond and then members of Student Government took the 8th graders on a tour of the school. During the tour, the students stopped at four stations to learn about various parts of life at Dimond. The presentations covered academics, sports, extra-curricular activities, and school spirit. Students received some fun Dimond gear on their way out the door. We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2019 when they matriculate to Dimond next Fall!

Prom 2015: Midnight in Paris

Prom 2015 will be held at the Denai’na Center on Saturday, April 25th, from 8 PM to Midnight. Tickets are $50 stag/$80 drag and must be purchased in advance, during the week of Prom. Guest passes are due to the Activities Office by Tuesday, April 21.

Our mission is to convey the opinions of the student body to the administration, organize school events, increase participation, and promote school spirit.

Be  sure  to  “Like”  us  on  Facebook  (Dimond  Student  Government),  follow  us  on  Twitter  (@DimondStudGov)  and  Instagram  (@DimondStudGov)  to  keep  up  with  the  latest  news!  

Above: Commissioner of Spirit Connor Weiss inspires the 8th grades to have Lynx Pride next year. Left: Junior Class Representative Vlad Finko introduces the 8th graders to Mr. Lauwers as they admire the many state championship banners in the Dimond Gym.

OFF THE SHELF: NOTES FROM DIMOND LIBRARYSuzanne Metcalfe, Librarian - 742-7103

DIMOND LIBRARY END OF YEAR SCHEDULE It’s that time of year when we want to get library materials collected so we can have them ready to use next year AND at the same time, we want students to have access to resources as they need them. We appreciate all your help in getting library books back on the shelves. We’ll be sending notices and posting lists more often as we get closer to the end of school. Dimond Library does NOT charge fines for overdue books. We only charge for lost items. We know that students sometimes misplace books, and we want to help them resolve this. At Dimond, students have several options when they lose a library book:

1. Pay for the book. 2. Replace the book with a new or gently used copy. 3. Work in the library to have the cost forgiven. (We forgive $5.00 per lunch or before or

after school work-session.) Here are some important dates to be aware of: Friday, April 17 SENIORS ALL library materials DUE

Week of April 20 SENIORS Overdue list posted & notices sent

Friday, May 8 ALL STUDENTS ALL library materials DUE Week of May 11 Grades 9, 10, 11 Overdue list posted & notices sent Thanks for another wonderful year at Dimond High School Library. It’s been a busy year. Mishel Geraghty assists in the library to help me keep the circulation desk covered, the books processed and the library running so I can focus part of my time on teaching, evaluating resources, interacting with students and collaborating with teachers. We’re lucky to have her. Judith Mack and Chrystal Huang, parent volunteers, also contribute to the running of the library. I appreciate all the teachers, students and parents who use and support our library and look forward to next year! Some Interesting Facts: On average in a singe week, Dimond Library serves: • 1,000 to 2,000 students on passes during class time • 800 to 1,000 students before and after school and at lunch • 15 to 20 classes meet in the class area and library lab • 120 plus students in the library before late start on Mondays

Dimond students use their library resources daily including: • Online Resources • Evaluating Web Sites • MLA Format • Finding Great Fiction • 11th Grade Research Paper • Authors and Literary Criticism • Forensics and Mysteries • Poems and Poets • Letters about Literature • The Alaska Digital Pipeline

• Biographies • Teen Issues • Infectious Diseases • e-Books • Alaskan Resources • Marine Animals • Board Games (chess, Scrabble, etc) • Bibliographies • Excellent Databases

J.R.O.T.C. NEWSMSG Shelley - 742-7010

Eagle River Drill Meet The first drill meet of the

season was held at Eagle River High School on January 17th. The cadets arrived and all met up in the classroom that was assigned to Dimond. A commanders meeting was held to inform all of the drill team commanders on how the drill teams would enter the floor. At the end of the day at the closing Awards Ceremony, we learned that all our our teams had placed in the top three.

Both Color Guards - Varsity as well as the LET 1 Color Guard – placed 1st.

Unarmed Regulation team commanded by Savannah Sears received third. The LET 1 Regulation team, commanded by Sydney Sears, placed 1st..

The Unarmed Exhibition team kept up their winning streak and placed 1st.

3rd Awards CeremonyThe 3rd Awards Ceremony

was held on January 26th in the Auditorium. To start the awards, all cadets in the Battalion were awarded the LET service ribbon for completing a semester in JROTC.

For the month of December Alpha Company, and in January Bravo won Honor Company. For December Alpha 4 won Platoon of the month, and Alpha 2 won for January. In December, cadet Marian

Sintos won.and in January, cadet Lina Phomanny won.

For the 2nd quarter NCO board, cadet Chris Bulfa won.

Every cadet left happy because they all received an award that night.

Colony Drill MeetThe Colony drill meet was

held at Colony High School on February 7th. The LET 1 Color Guard was the first team to take the floor for Dimond and, the

Varsity Color Guard followed soon after; both received 1st place.

The Unarmed Regulation team was the next Dimond drill team to perform, and they also took 1st. The LET 1 Regulation team performed afterwards and kept the 1st

place streak alive. The Armed Regulation team was next to perform for regulation, and won a 2nd place trophy. The Unarmed Exhibition category was last to go, this team also placed 1st.

State Drill MeetThe state drill meet was held

on February 22rd at Service High School. The cadets arrived early in the morning and started preparing for each of their performances.In the Color Guard discipline, our LET I team placed 3rd, and the Varsity team took 1st. The Unarmed Regulation team placed 1st.The LET 1 regulation team received 1st place. The Unarmed Exhibition team continued their reign of 1st place State Championships, this is the fifth year in a row. The Armed Exhibition team placed 1st. Congratulations to all the cadets that practiced hard and made this success possible!

Attention Senior Parents

Senior Fun Day is on Friday May 1!

This day was created at Dimond High 26 years ago to replace senior’s unofficial "skip" day, and the tradition has since spread to all the other Anchorage high schools. On that Friday, students will be bussed from DHS to the ATT Center to enjoy a fun and stress-free day of prizes, games, food, and music. It has been a great success over the years in terms of student safety, community involvement, and provides a final get together between students, staff, administrators, and parents before graduation. Senior Fun Day needs volunteers, donations of cash, prizes, and food to be a success. SFD is funded almost exclusively through donations; last year over $6000 was spent on the Center rental, food, T-shirts, prizes, and entertainment. We would love to have your help putting together this important event; please contact Missy Nurmi (Nurmi_Missy@asdk12.org) if you would like to help or check the class news section of Missy Nurmi’s asd website for meeting dates, times and locations. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A permission slip is required, so please read the following information and sign on the other side of this paper. I agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Anchorage School District and its employees, directors and designees for expenses relating to injuries, accidents, disease, property damage and/or loss which may occur as a result of the student’s participation in Dimond’s Senior Fun Day. I understand the Anchorage School District does not provide medical insurance coverage or liability insurance that would cover a student’s injuries or actions. It will be my responsibility to provide for payment of such expenses should they occur. I am aware of the hazards associated with participation in this activity. Knowing the risks of this activity, I give my permission for the above listed student to participate in the activity to include transportation as arranged by the event coordinators. I also authorize any necessary emergency transportation and medical treatment to be administered to the above named student. I understand the Anchorage School District assumes no liability for such emergency transportation and medical treatment and that such costs will be my responsibility. Allergies and/or special medical instructions for the student are listed below: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Donation Form

SENIOR FUN DAY "2015" Friday May 1st at the ATT Center

Name __________________________________ Phone:__________________ Address:____________________________________________________________ Enclosed is my donation of $_______________ in support of the Dimond High School Senior Fun Day 2015. Thank you for your contribution. 2015 Senior Class Please make checks payable to Dimond High School SFD. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Senior Fun Day 2015 Permission Form

I have read the information on the front part of this paper and give permission for my son/daughter to attend Senior Fun Day on May 1st at the ATT Center. Name of Senior (print) last___________________________, first________________________ Student ID#___________________ Event Day Parent Contact # __________________________

_ Parent/Guardian’s Printed Name Parent/Guardian’s Signature Date Alternate Emergency Contact Name Alternate Emergency Phone Number

Thank You School Business Partners!