D I M O N D

A.J. Dimond High School Community Newsletter October 2015

Letter from the Principal

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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.

Anchorage School BoardKameron Perez-Verdia, President

Tam Agosti GislerEric Croft

Bettye DavisPat Higgins

Kathleen PlunkettElisa Snelling

SuperintendentEd Graff

October 1-3Dimond Drama Presents:You Can’t Take it With You

Auditeria7 pm

October 8Picture Retakes

October 9Talent Show

Auditeria7-9 pm

October 14PSAT/NMSQT Test

7:30 am

October 18 & 19Anchorage College & Career Fair

UAA Alaska Airlines Center

October 21Parent Teacher Conference

11:45 am - 2:30 pm4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Greetings Dimond Parents and Guardians-

"Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were cre-ated by people

who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity." Joseph Sugar-man

A.J. Dimond High School staff and students take pride in strong traditions and outstanding academic and athletic success. This sense of pride and suc-cess requires us to have a continual vision and determination to provide a positive environment that nurtures ev-eryone to do their best and be the best. We are excited about the opportunity for growth this year. Administration, staff and students are committed to working on school improvement and greater success.

We need your involvement in the school community and support of your student as we move toward success. Your time and commitment to your stu-dent’s learning is greatly appreciated. Thank you for all the things that you do year to year for your student.

We still need your help in meeting the goal of “Every student will attend school at least 90% of the time.” Par-ents are the first teachers. Together we

can make attendance a priority. It is impor-tant for success in school. Good attendance will help students do well in high school, college, and at work. If you have arranged absences, please make sure to complete a pre-acknowledge absence form and make sure your student has gathered any assign-ments that will be missed.

Our school has establilshed a Social and Emotional Learning Initiative to be implemented in the classroom and school-wide community-instruction and activities. Social and emotional intelligence involves understanding your feelings and behaviors, as well as those of others, and applying this knowledge to your interactions and rela-tionships. “Research has shown that those with high emotional intelligence have bet-ter attention skills and fewer learning prob-lems, and are generally more successful in academic and workplace settings.” Efforts to help students acquire SEL skills will be intentional throughout the year. Tips for parents to use at home can be found on the district’s website as well as in this month’s newsletter.

The 1st quarter ends Friday, October 16th. As we move toward the end of the quarter, it will be important to monitor your student’s progress on Zangle. We encour-age you to contact teachers for clarification and if needed, schedule a conference. Par-ent teacher conference will be Wednes-day October 21. We look forward to see-ing you at parent teacher conference.

Warm Regards,

Tina Johnson-Harris

Schools, Parents, and Social and Emotional LearningSchools, Parents, and Social and Emotional LearningSchools, Parents, and Social and Emotional LearningSchools, Parents, and Social and Emotional LearningSchools, Parents, and Social and Emotional Learning

Ten Things You Can Do with Your SchoolTen Things You Can Do with Your SchoolTen Things You Can Do with Your SchoolTen Things You Can Do with Your SchoolTen Things You Can Do with Your School1. Focus on the value of learning. Take some time each day to ask what your child learned in school.

Don’t focus just on math, English, and social studies. Ask how your child gets along with otherstudents and how he or she feels about school. Learning is for life, not just school. Talk about whatyou yourself may have learned in the course of a day.

2. Focus on creating a positive learning environment at home. Make regular times and provide aquiet, well-lit place for homework. Limit the amount of TV. Decide with your child about rules fordealing with interruptions such as phone calls or visitors. Make sure your home has plenty of books,magazines, and newspapers.

3. Set up a school bulletin board at home. Display the school calendar and other flyers from the school.Decide as a family which school events you will attend. Help your child get involved in interestingand worthwhile school activities.

4. Listen when your child talks about school. Pay attention to what your child says about school. Ifyour child is happy with his or her classroom and school activities, write or call the teacher to saythank you. If your child seems frustrated, bored, or lonely at school, call a teacher or counselor to seewhat can be done.

5. Help your child with homework. Don’t ever do homework for your child. But do help. Assist yourchild in setting priorities for schoolwork. For example, you can encourage your child to tackle thedifficult assignments first while he or she has the most energy.

6. Take advantage of school meetings. Finding the time to attend school meetings can be a challenge.Many schools offer alternative times and places for parents to ask questions and discuss solutions tocommon problems. Often these meetings provide child care. Make these kinds of meetings a priority.

7. Volunteer at school. By volunteering in the classroom, you can better understand how to support yourchild’s learning at home. Try being a room parent, a chaperone at school functions, or a tutor. Evenparents who work full-time can visit their child’s school at night or on weekends. Create opportunitiesif they do not exist.

8. Attend school activities. Whenever possible, attend your child’s plays, sports events, or science fairs.Your presence shows that your child’s interests and work are important to you. It can also give you achance to meet other parents and school staff.

9. Join or create a “Social and Emotional Learning Book Club.” In some communities parents havecreated book clubs to learn how they can encourage their children’s social and emotionaldevelopment. This could be part of the PTA or PTO. It could also be something you do informally withfriends or parents of your child’s classmates. (See the brief reading list included with this packet.)

10. Encourage good communication with the school. Good communication is basic to supporting yourchild’s education. Ask your child’s teacher to provide suggested home activities to support skills thechildren are learning at school. Ask for homework assignments that directly involve parents. Anexample might be students asking parents about their cultural background or work experiences.

For more information contact: Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), Univer-sity of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology (MC 285), 1007 West Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607.312/413-1008. casel@uic.edu, www.CASEL.org

Frank Hauser, Curriculum Assistant Principal - 742-7008

CURRICULUM NEWS

COUNSELORSFreshman House . . Jaime Boyd-Kragt

9-12 Special Svcs/ ELL . . . . . . .Tracie Ashman

Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors:

A – D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dave Donk

E – K (Exchange) . . . . . . Rob Hartley

L – Rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Higgins

Re – Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pete Mandel

Thank you to those who attended the Di-mond Open House. It was a pleasure to get a chance to speak with many of you about your students and their experiences at Dimond.

Parent conferences will be held on Wednes-day, October 21. This is a great opportunity to meet with students’ teachers, discuss stu-dents’ progress, and ask questions. Students are released at 11:00 a.m., and there are two sessions available for conferences. The early session starts at 11:45 a.m. and goes until 2:30 p.m., and the evening session starts at 4:00 p.m. and goes until 7:00 p.m. Please try to arrive as close to the start of the session as possible, so you have enough time to meet with teachers.-------------------------------------Seniors!Remember that honors graduation standing is determined by the seventh semester cu-mulative grade point average. A 3.5 GPA in January 2016 will determine whether or not you graduate with honors. -------------------------------------Juniors!Students will have the opportunity to select either the WorkKeys or ACT assessment to fulfill the College and Career Readiness As-sessment (CCRA) requirement for this year.

All juniors received a packet of information about the CCRA, as well as a registration form. Registration forms must be returned to their language arts teachers by Wednesday, September 30.

More information about the CCRA can be found at https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/eoc/collegeandcareerfair/. Please do not hesitate to contact the Curriculum Office if you have specific questions about the CCRA or the registration process.-------------------------------------The Career Resource Center (CRC) is now open. Hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during upperclass-man lunch and after school from 2:00-2:30.

The Anchorage College and Career Fair is taking place on Sunday, October 18 from

11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Monday, Oc-tober 19 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the Alaska Airlines Center. More informa-tion, including colleges and schedule of events, can be found at http://eoccareerfair.com/index.html.-------------------------------------2016 AP Testing InformationWhat is the deadline for ordering tests?Payment will be accepted for ordering AP tests from October 13 through October 31.

How much does each test cost?Tests are $92.00 each. Late fees will apply if students pay after deadlines.

Who do I pay to order the test?Payment for AP tests should be submitted to Ms. Dubie in the Main Office. AP test pay-ment is open before and after school until 3:00 and during lunch from 11:22-12:00.

How do I pay?Please pay with a check, if possible, and make the checks payable to Dimond High School. Cash and money orders are also ac-ceptable. Parents may pay with credit card through Zangle Parent Connect. A printed receipt must be submitted to Ms. Dubie with the AP Test request from.

Where are the tests administered?Most of the tests are proctored in Rasmus-sen Hall or other classrooms on the UAA campus. Foreign language tests are taken at Dimond.

What is the testing schedule?The 2016 Exams occur from May 2 through May 13. As we approach testing, specific de-tails about locations, times, and what to bring will be provided.

Upcoming Curriculum Events and Col-lege/Career Visits

Bowdoin College Visit September 29 12:10 p.m.

Stanford University Visit October 2 10:35 a.m.

Boston University Visit October 12 12:20 p.m.

Washington College Visit October 13 8:35 a.m.

PSAT/NMSQT Test October 14 7:30 a.m.

George Fox University Visit October 15 12:15 p.m.

Anchorage College and Career Fair October 18 & 19

California Baptist University Visit October 19 1:15 p.m.

Gonzaga University Visit October 20 8:30 a.m.

University of San Diego October 20 11:30 a.m.

Northern Colorado University Visit October 21 9:20 a.m.

Parent Teacher Conferences October 21

Eastern Oregon University Visit October 22 7:45 a.m.

First QTR. Report Card Posting to Parent Connect October 22

 

ACADEMIC LETTERS Alden Ahern Alexander Ahn Sirah Ajibola Kendra Alexander Cooper Arend Katie Austin Luis Barajas Mark Bartolome Denali Bassett Conor Bates-Janigo Chloe Bee Logan Beile Cassidy Berger Caleb Berntsen Brynn Boeckmann Trophe Brandt Kyle Bremont Madison Briley Ashley Brink Maxwell Brinker Maxwell Buckel Sean Carey Ally Carney Mariell Cerdena Ellese Chapados Jason Choi Yu-Jin Choi Almog Cohen Sarahjoy Cristobal Morgen Crow Jane Daum Martina Dick Taylor Dintzner Danielle DuClos Fortesa Fazliu Krizzia Kate Fernandez Jacob Fisher Laike Fogg Hannah Goodrum Sophia Gustafson Jared Hall Galen Heninger      

 Larissa Hensch Lauren Hermes Shaydra Hernandez Jenna Hickel Nickolas Hill Madison Horwatt Emma Hundrup Jessica Husa Melissa Ihly Suleiman Jama Horojah Jawara Kathleen Jean Job Meghen Jones Da Joo Leona Joo Carina Kay Allison Keller Chris Kim Joan Kim Joshua Knowlton Jasmine Kobayashi Piper Laudon Adrian Laverick Brooke Liland Meghan Lindbeck Kenzie Lindemann Mialene Liwanag Vallory Liz Lopez Bre'elle Lorenzo Olivia Lundquist Selena Lyken Angelica Macaraeg Zoe Mahugh Evan McCloskey Adrienne Medina Isaiah Mills Yana Monroe Erin Moody Alaina Moore Melinda Moto-Weinstein Egzona Musliu Ethan Nguyen  

 Sara Norman Naomi Oakley Sofia Odron Tanner O'Hara Mackenzie Olsen-Piscoya William Orton Alisa Pairmore Angie Park Judy Park Megan Penman Brielle Perez Ryan Perius Hannah Peterson Joseph Post Madelin Powelson Kyra Precie Myah Precie Elizabeth Raburn-Snyder Hannah Randall Taylor Reece Nora Rodvik Robert Rose Christopher Rudolph Piper Sato Shea Schenderline Katherine Schuh Savannah Sears Marshall Shaffer Hailey Shangin Kathleen Shaw Brianna Sherer Marian Sintos Darren Skinner Lexus Smith Quincy Smith Shannon Spence Jamie Sundet Sean Swalling Theodis Talbert Amanda Tang Erica Tang Fiona Teilborg  

                                                                                           Meeia Tolentino Aloisa Myra Tomas Kongtap Trakalsaeng Andrea Trimor Marshall Uri Dominick Valentin Elizabeth Van Alstine Annalena VanCouwenberghe Kobe Vanderwood Savannah Vargas Katherine Villa Kernell Villamor Miranda Villarreal Isaac Villeda Savanna Wallace Ashley Williams Nathan Wilson Summer Zelinsky SILVER STARS Clarifel Agtarap Tian Ah You Justin Amor Evgin Aygun Rochelle Jeunell Baluyut Cassidy Burke Haley Carney David Chouinard Fred Chun Raymond Clayton Gabriella Cocom Hunter Daniel Sharmaine Daquis Claire Dieckgraeff Henry Downey Frances Dun Madeline Flores Shianne Frable Anna Glover Jenna Graham    

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   Erica Heil Madison Howard Serena Inoue Eric Jenkins Loricelle Juan Kelsey Kroon Ethan Kwon Lillian Lewis Joshua Lindsey Jashala Liverman Robeline Llaneza Quinn McClure Shannon McKee Connor Merrill Emma Morgan Athit Nitisaporn Briannah Pugh Naomi Ratcliffe Caroline Requa Samantha Robertson-Rozanski Kevin Sargent James Scott Evan Seaman Tami Suenram Kevin Taylor Kobe Thammavongsa Sydney Thyen Edgar Villasenor Anjoilyn Vreeland Ellie Wells Patrice Whetten Roslyn White Rebecca Wiesinger Kendal Williams Isabella Work Caroline Wrenn Yael Yisrael Mariah Youngmun Mikayla Zagrocki  

GOLD STARS Nathan Alfano Joseph Amodemo Samantha Baltierra Cora Berbig Ace Brown Morgan Byrne James Campbell Tanya Charoonsophonsak Christopher Chung Ethan Cleveland Jayson Cristobal Bryce Davis Challis Debenham Jack Divelbiss Raimey Drew Julie DuClos Kelsey Eagle Samantha Edington Ozair El-Omari Vladislav Finko Cara Frischkorn Alexander Gill Lowell Giron Hayden Hanson Hannah Hartwell Keith Harvey Jack Hoen Madeline Howard Kobe Norman Huang Su Jin In Heather Jensen Nicholas Johansen Darby Judd Lucas Katz Shameah Keisala-Jones Jacob Kinder Reese Kodama Laura Kuk Jasmine Langmann Madeleine LaPorte  

                                         

                                                                                                 

 Adam Liland David Liu Rachel Lowrance Andrew Luiken Makayla Maisey Aubrey Manculich William Maniss Collin McClellan Roslyn McCormack Savannah Melendez Scott Morton Beatrice O'Campo Emma Ostberg Savanah Owen Christine Petersen Elizabeth Randall Jasmine Redgrave Adam Ripley Calvin Rodgers Aleah Rohde Peter Saengsudham Anita Samuel Ripple Sato Robert Schock Allison Shafer Breanne Smith Ho Song Brynn Sulte Brian Sweeney Abbigail Utley Liesel Von Imhof Margaret Walker Shi Yuan Ebtehal Zeid  

Academic Letters

The Anchorage School Board established the Academic Letter Pro-gram in the fall of 1985. The first awards were presented in June 1986.

Students earn a Dimond High School Academic Letter by maintain-ing a grade point average of 3.5 or higher for two consecutive semes-ters. For each semester subsequent to the awarding of the academic letter that a student earns 3.5000 – 3.999 grade point average, he/she is awarded a Silver Star. Students who earn a grade point average of 4.0 or higher are awarded a Gold Star in subsequent semesters after receiving an Academic Letter.

Holly Morris, Activities Assistant Principal - 742-6996ACTIVITIES NEWS

AttentionWrestlers, Bowl-ers, Hockey play-ers (both girls and boys) and Hockey Cheerleaders! The 2015-2016 season is upon us and we want to ensure that all participants are ready for the sea-

son. Please be aware of the requirements listed below. This paperwork is required for participation. If you do not have all of the required documents, you will not be able to register for your respective sport:

• Physical Exam with physician signa-ture and date.

• Sports Fee

• Completed High School Athletic/Ac-tivity Participation form

• Concussion fact sheet/parent ac-knowledgement form

• ASAA Tobacco, Alcohol & Drug Free (TAD) acknowledgement form

• Baseline ImPACT screening test re-ceipt and fee ($5) – this Baseline is only required once in high school (Ex-ample: Freshmen, first time athletes, athletes new to district)

To find all these forms you can go to http://www.asdk12.org/activities/ and click on high school participation in the upper right hand corner.

Winter Sports Fees

• $204 – Wrestling

• $193 – Hockey Cheer

• $215 – Boys Hockey

• Outsourced – Bowling / Girls Hockey

Requirements for Student-AthletesUnder Alaska law, Anchorage School District is required to have a program in

place for the prevention and management of concussions in student-athletes. As part of this requirement, and our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our student-athletes, middle school and high school student-athletes signing up for an ASD sport that requires a physical must also take a computerized ImPACT Baseline Screening. There is a $5 fee for the simple, non-invasive test.

Parents and student-athletes must also re-ceive, read and sign the “Concussion in Sports: A Fact Sheet for Anchorage School District Athletes and Parents.”

For more information on concussion in athletes, the ImPACT Baseline Screening, or to download the act sheet and Acknowl-edgement and Consent Form, please visit http://www.asdk12.org/activities/hs/par-ticipation/

Second Quarter Eligibilitya. All first semester freshmen are immedi-ately eligible at the beginning of the school year. At the end of the 1st quarter, they must have a 2.0 GPA to remain eligible for the remainder of the semester.

b. Second-semester freshmen, all sopho-mores, all juniors and all seniors must have an overall 2.0 GPA during the previous se-mester and end of first and third quarters. Students who do not meet the GPA portion of this requirement may regain eligibility during the current semester by achieving and maintain an overall 2.0 GPA at the end of the quarter or semester using the grades earned during the nine-week grading pe-riod.

Dates to RememberSeptember 28, Bowling startsSeptember 30, Wrestling startsOctober 1, 2, 3, Dimond presents You Can’t Take It With You October 8, Picture RetakesOctober 14, Hockey startsOctober 21, Parent/Teacher Conferences

Interscholastic Athletic Interest Survey

BackgroundThe Interscholastic Athletic Interest Student Survey provides schools with information about student interests in athletics. This is an annual survey im-plemented and analyzed jointly by the ASD departments of Equal Employ-ment Opportunity, Secondary Educa-tion, Elementary Education, and As-sessment and Evaluation. This survey is a tool for understanding what in-terests our students have and how we can better serve their interests, while also meeting our legal obligations for Title IX. Online Survey InformationSurvey administration window: Octo-ber 5 – 23, 2015All students in grade 8-11Survey link: https://www.survey-monkey.com/r/Activity15-16This survey does not require parental permission but any parent can contact the school after receiving notice of the survey through newsletters, school websites, etc., and choose not to have their child participate. If this occurs, the request should be honored.This survey should take approximate-ly 15 minutes to complete.Other than the first three questions (school, gender or grade), if a student is uncomfortable with a question they are welcome to skip it and move on with the survey.

Visit the Dimond High School Website for up-to-date information on our school and events athttp://www.dimondhigh.com.

STUDENT SERVICES/ATTENDANCE NEWSChristian Caldarera, Student Services/Attendance Assistant Principal - 742-7056

FALL IS HERE! Greetings parents and community members! Happy October! The school year is well under way and our students and staff at Dimond High School are in full swing with academics and activi-ties. It has been great

to see the support you all provide to our excellent campus administration, teach-ers & staff with regards to your assistance at home with academics, tardiness, dress code and discipline.

ATTENDANCE MATTERS! There is a direct correlation between academic suc-cess and school attendance. Student atten-dance is a priority at Dimond High School and we need your continued support in making sure that your child is at school on time and prepared. School starts at 7:30 am and our greatest area of excessive tardi-ness is 1st period. As the weather changes please assist your child & Dimond High School in ensuring that your child is pre-pared to come to school on time, as our tardy consequences in the S.T.A.R.T. (Safe Transitions And Reduced Tardiness) pro-gram that addresses students’ tardiness has already started to be implemented. Thanks again for your continued support! Don’t forget that there are incentives for perfect attendance!

Reminder: School Campuses are Tobac-co, Alcohol, Drug and Weapon Free

Parents, Please remember that our school and all schools across ASD are tobacco, alcohol, weapon and drug free campuses. As per Anchorage School Board policy 533.7, the use of all forms of tobacco, alcohol, weap-ons or drugs products by students, staff or visitors on school premises are prohibited. This policy applies at all times of the day, including before school, after school and during sporting and extracurricular events. Please remember not to smoke cigarettes when dropping off or picking up children from our school.

Thank you parents very much!!

 

DRESS CODE REMINDERSAs winter approaches, a review of the Di-mond High School dress code is appropri-ate. Not only dressing for the conditions (i.e. boots, mittens, heavy coats), but also the clothing appropriate for the students’ school day.

The handbook clearly states that the fol-lowing is not permitted:

• Sagging or baggy pants AND dresses or skirts that are too short and reveal-ing

• Tops with spaghetti straps or are too low and revealing • Tops that show a bare midriff

• Pajamas or sleepwear• Head wear between the hours of 7am

and 2 pm

At Dimond, students love Spirit Weeks and we encourage participation, again within the guidelines of the dress code.

Dimond High School Annual Talent ShowFriday, October 9 from 7-9 pm

Tickets will be sold at the door and are $5 each.

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

Parents are Perfect!

Part time employees and substitutes are needed in our school cafeterias to assist with preparing food & serving breakfast and/or lunch to students.

Hours are perfect for parents:part-time and flexible.

Fill out an applicaton at the ASD Building at:5530 E Northern Lights Blvd., or online at asdk12.org

Call 348-5185 for more information.

Mentoring for Success is a s c h o o l - b a s e d mentoring pro-gram at Dimond High that pro-vides freshmen with highly qualified and ef-fective mentors

who engage these students in asset-building activities that will give them the skills they need to suc-ceed throughout high school and beyond, thereby improving their attendance and in-creasing their self-esteem.

Forty upper-class mentors were trained on 60 teaching guides that will help them facilitate monthly activities and theme dis-cussions that affect the transition of fresh-men to high school. The activities will be delivered during 4th period throughout the school year. Activities cover an array of social and academic topics vital to new students’ success including study habits, involvement, respect, exams, career explo-ration, healthy choices, etc. The theme of this month is “Making the Grade” and will cover concepts such as time management, study habits, grades, academic polices, and support services.

The Freshman House has enjoyed an extremely good start. Our Discipline re-ferrals are down and that is because of our incredible teaching staff that discourages undesirable behaviors and reinforces posi-tive ones. Our staff is visible at all times, in the classroom, the hallways, and during passing time.

We focus on the positive and maintain high standards for our students; how-

ever, certain behaviors may result in con-sequences intended to deter misbehavior.

For example, excessive tar-dies, absences, and truancies will reflect natu-ral consequenc-es due to lost i n s t r u c t i o n a l

time but may also result in consequences given by school staff. Lunch detention, afterschool work detail, ISS, and Monday morning detention are examples of conse-quences that may be administered to deter certain behaviors.

Our staff creates an environment that is kind and caring, and they offer necessary support services and resources to meet the needs of all our students during freshman lunch and before and after school. Our support services team further makes sure that our students are not behind in home-work. Students take ownership for mak-ing sure they attend these services during lunch to catch up on homework or to get additional assistance from all their fresh-men teachers.

Battle of the Books has begun! All fresh-men 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 Mr. March (march_samuel@asdk12.org) for more information.

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 be notified and invited to attend the presentation.

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 Azzam_imtiaz@asdk12.org or by phone.

Do not defer your dreams.

GO TO SCHOOL!

Missing even a few days of school each month is a big deal and can make it hard to keep up.

Let a parent, teacher or friend know if you need help!

#schooleveryday

designed by Enrique Rodriguez8th grader, Mears Middle School

News From Cafe Dimond High School

Menus and Nutritional Item ChartYou can find the High School Menus, Prices, High School Meals Nutritional Item Chart, and other student nutrition information at: http://www.asdk12.org/studentnutrition. Food Allergies and Special NeedsIf your student has food allergies or special dietary needs, please contact our school nurse. She will then relay this information to the cafeteria. If your student has resolved food aller-gies or intolerances, the nurse needs this information also. Adding Money to Student Accounts and Paying ChargesMoney can be added to a student’s ac-count anytime in the Cafeteria with cash or a check written out to Di-mond High School. Money can also be added to a student’s account on Zangle. This process may take a few days to post to your student’s account. All lunch charges are now due. It is expected that charges will be paid the following day. Free and Reduced Breakfast and LunchIt is never too late to apply for free or reduced breakfast and lunch. An overnight process is available online at asdk12.org. Paper applications can be picked up in the cafeteria or in the main office and at the counseling cen-ter. Please allow ten working days for processing. A new application must be submitted each school year. On Thursday, October 1st, any stu-dent who has been a carryover from last school year and does not have a current processed 2015/16 application for Free & Reduced Breakfast and Lunch will be changed to full price.

Back to school is well under way now with a month already complete. The Di-mond PTSA is over 200 members strong, already ahead of last year’s membership and still growing. Thank you for your support if you are already signed up. Ap-plications are on the DHS website/ PTSA page if you still want to be counted. Mem-bership dues are only $10 per person and support a great organization in our school. Membership connects you to important in-formation and volunteer opportunities to support the teachers and students through-out the year.

Dimond recently hosted a Naturaliza-tion Ceremony for new citizens. Your PTSA participated by providing refresh-ments. The ceremony was witnessed by selected students and was a big success. PTSA will be welcoming all new teachers and administrators to Dimond by provid-ing complementary fleece jackets to show our appreciation for all they do to enhance our education environment.

The officers of the Dimond PTSA meet monthly for regular working meetings, generally on the second Tuesday of the month at 6 pm in the large conference room in the school office. Our meeting schedule is posted on the DHS/PTSA web page. These meetings are open to all mem-bers if you want to come and learn about our activities. We have a standing agenda item for member comments and concerns if you have a topic to share. We hold two membership meetings per year where we request broad member attendance; our

PTSAMichele Schuh, President

first membership meeting is October 13 at 6 pm in MPR 1 where we will ap-prove our annual objectives and budget for 2015-2016. The business meeting will be brief and we will have an external speaker to add value to the event. See the DHS website/PTSA page for details. During registration and Open House, spirit wear sales were brisk and we raised funds for upcoming teacher grants. Spirit wear order forms along with pictures and sizes will be available on the DHS website/PTSA page shortly. Stay tuned for more information on how to order and get spirit wear all year long.

Dimond High School is lucky to be one of the few high school PTSA organiza-tions continuing to operate. Thank you for your support and participation in our activities and fund raising.

How to contact PTSAPTSA Board Members: dimondpt-saboard@gmail.com

Membership and Volunteer Communica-tions: dimondptsamembership@gmail.com

If you are interested in Volunteering in the School Store, The Lynx Lair: lynxlaircom-mittee@gmail.com

Questions or to Purchase Dimond PTSA Spirit Wear Clothing: www.dimondhigh.com/ptsa/apparel

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

On September 12th, Dimond Varsity Football boys successfully won their Homecoming game, scoring 40-32 against the Chugiak Mustangs. During halftime, Homecoming Court was announced and Prince Jack Hoen and Princess Jenna Hickel were crowned 2015 Homecoming King and Queen. In addition to court, class floats were also presented to the crowd during halftime. This year’s theme was board games, and the floats were very creative. Sophomores took victory with their Jumanji inspired float, Juniors second with their Monopoly float, Seniors with third with the Candyland themed float, while Freshmen took last with the Game of Life themed float. On the same day, Dimond had its Homecoming Dance with well over 800 students in attendance. For the first dance of the year, Homecoming was very successful.

Dimond is honored to announce that one of our own students, Savannah Melendez, has been elected to be the Student Representative to the Anchorage School Board and President of the ASD Student Advisory Board (SAB). She is now the liaison between the students and the school board. Also, our Student Body President, Vladislav Finko, was elected as SAB Vice-President and Isaac

Villeda, Dimond’s Sophomore Class Secretary, was elected Secretary of SAB. These students are now representing not only Dimond, but all students in Anchorage. Dimond hosted a Naturalization Ceremony on September 17 in honor of Constitution Day, where immigrants officially become United States citizens. Dimond had the privilege of holding the ceremony at the school. Student Body Vice President Whitney Demarco had the honor of leading the new citizens in saying the Pledge of Allegiance for the first time as citizens.

Our mission is to convey the opinions of the student body to the administration, organize school events,

increase participation, and promote school spirit.

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

MSG Shelley - 742-7010 Cadet Fun Night

The annual Dimond JROTC Cadet

Fun Night was held on August 28th, and truly

lived up to its name. The night included fun for

everyone, from long time cadets, to incoming

freshmen, to potential recruits.

The night began with an opening

introduction from the 2015 Battalion Leadership.

Shortly after, cadets enjoyed plenty of food at a

potluck buffet, where cadets could try new dishes

as well as old favorites. The Company Leadership

organized games such as: the egg drop, the

balloon stomp, the graveyard relay, and

basketball.

The JROTC classrooms were set up

as a video game room and a movie room.

Speakers were set up in the gym for music and

dancing. There were also tables for card games

and socializing. The evening was a successful

night and full of recruitment, with several guests

deciding to join the JROTC program.

Fundraising Car Wash

The annual Dimond JROTC

Fundraising Car Wash was held at The

Moose Lodge on Saturday September 5th.

Cadets started showing up at 8am to help with

setting up tents and preparing car wash

equipment, as cars began to arrive at 9am.

The day was split into two

working shifts, divided between the Alpha

and Bravo Companies; though some hard working cadets stayed and washed cars

diligently for both shifts. Generous parents

and Instructors brought hot food and drinks to

warm up the cadets, along with sugary treats

to keep their energy levels high. Cheerful

music played, and water fights ensued, raising

spirits and motivating every cadet.

The Car Wash ended at 4pm, and

cleanup was fast and easy. Throughout the

day cadets showed a great work ethic and

much dedication, with positive attitudes and

steady improvement. Upperclassmen took

charge with direction and leadership, guiding

cadets to ultimately run a successful and

smooth car wash yet again.

Buy Your Yearbook Now - Starting at

$65.00

Options to Purchase: Online at yearbookforever.com

Fill out the order form and pay at the Activities Office

Pay online in Parent Connect then bring form and receipt to the Activities

Office

Important Deadlines:Senior Pictures and Senior Quotes are

due at the end of November(Turn in to main office or email to di-mondyearbook@hotmail.com; Hard Copies, Thumb Drives, CD or Email

Photos are Acceptable)

Space for Senior Pages are now being Reserved

Email us at dimondyearbook@hotmail.com to set up an appointment

Safety Reminder:The faculty lot is not a student pick-

up or drop-off.

Safety First

School closures

General school information

Late bus information

Sign up at:https://asp.schoolmessenger.com/anchorage/subscriber

You can sign up with a mobile device, but may find it easier to complete using a desktop computer with a larger view.

Directions:1. Click on Sign Up Now.2. Enter name, email and a password to create an account.3. Check your email to activate account.4. Once activated, go to Contact Info, click on Add More.5. Add cell phone number to receive texts.6. Follow the steps to confirm your cell phone number.7. IMPORTANT: Under types of announcements, choose all of these options:

Emergency 2, Informational 1 and Informational 28. Save your changes.SCHOOL CLOSURES:To receive school closure information, select Anchorage School District from list of schools.GENERAL SCHOOL INFORMATION:To receive general school announcements, select school names from list of schools. Reminder, if you want to receive school closure information, you must also select Anchorage School District from the list.LATE BUSES:To receive notice when buses are running significantly late, select bus routes.• Pickup Bus is the morning route from home to school.• Drop Off Bus is the afternoon route from school to home.• If you do not want bus information, select the N/A option at the

end of the list.The Anchorage School District is not responsible for any costs incurred for receiving text messages.

www.asdk12.org

Sign up for text updates!

月見

つき

み

Tomonokai presents the

Fall Family Dinner

Saturday, October 3rd, 2015

6:00-8:30 p.m.Mears Middle School

2700 W 100th Avenue

moon

viewing

Doors open at 5:45

Pre-order meals at www.tomonokai.org

by Friday, September 25th

Performances by Tomodachi Daiko and

Mears Middle School immersion students

Silent auction

Crafts for kids

Cupcake walk

Karaoke

Tomonokai t-shirts for sale

Thank You School Business Partners!