EMPOWERING 21ST CENTURY GRADUATES
Collaborative: Team Player- Willing to fulfill a variety of roles in group settings; Communicator- Able to effectively share, receive and interpret information; Flexible- Willing to adjust, adapt and compromise to address varying circumstances.
This week's Wildcat Way winner is Mrs. Ayers! Mrs. Ayers is a true team player who always puts the needs of students first. She has been a consistently positive fixture in E-House, and is quick to volunteer when needed. Mrs. Ayes is making a difference every day, and is a great example of a Wildcat!
Congratulations to Admin Assistant, Chelsey Ayers on your selection...
The last day of school has been finalized and confirmed: June 12th
Counseling
Congratulations Class of 2025!
Seniors, if there is a class you are not passing and you need it to graduate, please reach out to your teacher. Juniors, keep in mind as you make your summer plans that this is good time to visit colleges in which you might be interested.
9th-11th Grade: Reminder that your online classes must be completed by Friday May 30th
Dual Enrollment-Mandatory Meeting
ALL students registered for Dual Enrollment courses at Alpena Community College this fall should attend an Orientation Session on Wednesday, May 28, during 6th hr at 1:30. This is a MANDATORY Orientation Session for ALL Dual Enrollment students (new and returning) that will be presented by Director of Admissions Mike Kollien and Dual Enrollment Liaison Darrin Lightner. Early Middle College students will have a separate Orientation Session at a later date and should not attend this session. All students who are NEW Dual Enrollment students for Fall 2025 courses should have received an Acceptance Letter in the mail from the college. Also contained in this envelope would be a Registration receipt confirming the courses for which you are registered along with any balance due, as well as an instruction guide showing you how to access your myACC accounts. Please log into your myACC accounts BEFORE the Orientation Session on May 28th, following the instruction guide. Returning students will receive only the Registration confirmation in the mail. We will cover a lot of information in this short meeting to help you be prepared to be successful in your college classes this fall. See you on Wednesday, May 28th at 1:30 pm in the Auditorium!
Students and Parents:
The gradebook in StudentVue and ParentVue will be temporarily turned off on June 10th through June 14th while teachers are posting grades. Turning the gradebook off will allow for the grades that you see to be accurate rather than potentially changing after you have viewed them. The gradebook will be turned back on June 15. Report cards will be able to be accessed in the documents tab in StudentVue and ParentVue by the end of the day June 18.
Everything Senior Related
Friday, there is an altered schedule due to Decision Day
See it here, and it will posted around school
Decision Day is May 30th!
We are asking ALL seniors to email smithme@alpenaschools.com with a senior picture, childhood picture, and brief description of their post secondary plans. This way everyone can be included in our Decision Day celebrations!
Deadline for sharing these is May 28th!
PARENTS!!! Enter to win a gift card when you submit these three things on behalf of your student!
I'll send you a picture of their slide to make your entry official. Decision Day is a national celebration that highlights what seniors choose to do after high school. On Decision Day we have a whole school assembly to celebrate their choices and all grade levels transition to their next spot in the gym for future assemblies. These celebrations have taken place the last three years and are becoming an annual rite of passage. Community members and college reps will be present to help us celebrate our Seniors!
Please send Melisa Smith a senior picture, childhood picture, and brief description of the post secondary plans. Thank you!
Elementary Graduation Walk-Throughs ~ Mark Your Calendars
Get the Day Off!
Monday → June 2: Hinks 10am & Besser 1pm
Tuesday → June 3: All Saints 10am & Ella White 1pm
Wednesday → June 4: Lincoln 10am & Sanborn 2pm (this is change due to a need at Sanborn from 1pm to 2pm)
Thursday → June 5: Immanuel Lutheran 10am & Wilson 1pm
What do you do?
Arrive 15 minutes early. I will be in the parking lot and will gather everyone.
Remember your cap and gown! It will only take 15 minutes and there will be teachers and principals if you want pictures afterward. The principals will alert retired staff that may be interested in attending. We had so much fun with this last year as you saw in the pictures from a few weeks ago ~ don't miss this great opportunity.
Parents are welcome to come and take pictures. You will be able to mingle afterward as well.
We will get a group picture at each site.
Senior Experience Day --> June 6th
It is imperative that you all make it this day.
You get your graduation tickets following the graduation walk through
Honor cords will be given out
Graduation Ticket Information:
Guests must have a ticket to enter the stadium. Students will be given 6 tickets on Friday during Senior Experience Day. If students need additional tickets, they need to ask their friends for extras, and if they aren’t successful, there will be a table at the stadium on Friday following the walkthrough with additional tickets. Please contact the Main Office (358-5200) for urgent ticket issues after Friday afternoon. Please, tickets will only be given to students.
It is imperative that your student attend June 6th for Senior Experience Day!
I want to share the diagram for student parking on Graduation Sunday. We will have both the Bagley Street and M-32 gates open to enter and exit the stadium parking lot. Please know that there will be a coned lane from the baseball field to the stadium for the graduates. You will be able to park near that area but will have to leave the coned walkway open. We will have security to help with parking, guide vehicles, and have limited shuttles for the farthest parking locations to assist guests. You may have to be patient as the shuttles will be limited for those parking the fartherest.
Security will direct those arriving where to park, and it needs to be followed to maximize the most efficient parking. The staff will park the earliest to arrive to the back and work their parking closer as guests arrive.
Following Commencements, both exits will be used and APD may have officers similar to what you have following the football games. The shuttles will be near the front gate to transport those parked at the far ends of the parking lot.
Thank you for driving carefully and be mindful that there will be many people moving about before and after the ceremony ~ safety first when entering and exiting.
Thank you,
Romeo Bourdage
Graduation Inclement Weather Notification ~ 10am on Graduation Day
Rain makeup day is Monday @ 7pm
Gates will open at 5:30pm.
SENIOR GRADUATION PARADE
~ Friday, June 6th, from 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Route: AHS parking lot ~ down Third St. to Campbell (right) up 2nd Ave to Ripley back to Third St and ending in the AHS parking lot
Start in the AHS student parking lot; you should be early to decorate vehicles
All decorations must be in graduation theme
Parent/adult driver is best -- communicate with Mr. Bourdage with any concerns
Trucks-- you may be in the back but may not exceed 15mph
Bring candy to throw
Seniors ~ the KAPUT Senior Celebration will begin following the parade at AHS until 2:30am.
KAPUT
SENIOR CELEBRATION
June 6th
7:00pm ~ 2:30am
Right after the Parade
New this year, KAPUT will give prizes away to those present every 15 minutes the first hour = 4 total, so get there after the parade to be eligible to win BIG PRIZES
There is still time to get prizes and/or volunteer to connect with businesses. This is going to be the best event ever!
It is incredible the prizes that have been donated by Alpena Businesses and individuals; totally amazing what our community is willing to do for our graduates to make their night safe and special.
KAPUT NEEDS YOU ~ YOUR GRADUATE NEEDS YOU!
Chromebook Update from APS Technology
Congratulations to the AHS graduating class of 2025! It is a great accomplishment and something, I hope, you all feel proud about as you take that next step in your life/career.
As you know, upon graduation you will be able to keep your Chromebook. Additionally, your APS student email account will be disabled. The goal of this email is to share some information on when these items will be completed and what you can expect. Please take a moment to review the information. Please let technology know if you have any questions.
Chromebook:
On Friday, May 30, 2025, the command will be sent to your Chromebooks to remove them from APS control.
What to expect with the reset:
After the reset command is sent, the next time you connect to wireless on your Chromebook, it will restart and reboot in the "out of the box" experience. At this point, all APS control will be removed from the device and you would need to create your local account.
If you are online at the moment the command is sent - it will reboot without warning.
You can create your local profile using your APS account but we suggest that you look into creating/using another Gmail account as your email account will be disabled (see below)
After the reset, the device is yours to do as you see best. APS would no longer provide any support, repairs, etc.
Email Account:
Your APS student email account will be disabled on Monday, August 5, 2025.
This should give you plenty of time to have important emails changed to another account or to extract/copy emails that you may need. Once your account is deactivated you will not be able to access it and anyone who emails it will receive a rejection message.
Please be sure to let others know of your account change (especially colleges or those with other important communications you may require moving forward).
Thank you and congratulations!
AHS Upcoming Events
Items To Review
DID YOU GET A YEARBOOK!?
Starting May 27th, you no longer need a ticket to pick up your Yearbook.
See Ms. O'Neil in E206
Before or after school, 1st Hour or 4th Hour
(If you are not in the building, send Ms. O'Neil an email to set up arrangements to pick up your book ahsyearbook@alpenaschools.com)
WE STILL HAVE YEARBOOKS FOR SALE!
You can still purchase online. Use this LINK
You can bring cash or check for $85 to Ms. O'Neil in E206
Limited spots and due by June 10th
See Mrs. Taratuta for more details!
Athletics
Upcoming Events:
5/26/25 Memorial Day No School
5/27/25 Senior Exams
5/28/25 Senior Exams
5/29/25 AHS Choir Concert 7pm in the AHS Auditorium
5/30/25 Last Day for Seniors
Decision Day Schedule and event
6/2/25 Graduation Elementary Walk Throughs - Specific Days TBA
6/6/25 Senior Celebration
Senior Parade 6pm Leaving from AHS
Senior Celebration Starting at 7pm
6/8/25 Graduation 1:30pm at Park Family Field
6/10/25 Day One of Final Exams
6/11/25 Day Two of Final Exams -- 1/2 Day for Students
6/12/25 Day Three of Final Exams -- 1/2 Day for Students
Last Day for Students 1/2 Day
OK2SAY is the student safety program which allows students to confidentially report tips on potential harm or criminal activities directed at students, school employees, and schools. It uses a comprehensive communication system to facilitate tip sharing among students, parents, school personnel, community mental health service programs, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and law enforcement officials about harmful behaviors that threaten to disrupt the learning environment.
Student Climate Team will be trained to conduct peer mediation for students who are in conflict with one another. The goal of having peer mediation at AHS is to help create a more positive culture in our school where both sides win and one party doesn't feel as if they are being treated unfairly. Please see Mr. Robarge in E110 (School Success) if you need help resolving an issue. Peer mediators don't take sides or place blame on anyone!