FROM THE DESK OF: Conrad D. Farner, Superintendent

Greetings Arrowhead Community,

It is that time of year to share Snow/Cold Day protocols! When school is canceled for Arrowhead High School and its K-8 elementary feeder schools, normally all school-related activities (athletics, co-curricular clubs, performances, etc.) for that day and evening are also canceled. In the event conditions improve sufficiently by the late afternoon/evening and an activity is allowed, a faculty member or coach/advisor will notify students/families.

School cancellations are communicated via the media listed below.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KurthAHS
Phone call through the automated Skylert phone service
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArrowheadSchools/
District website: http://www.arrowheadschools.org
Television stations: TMJ4, WISN 12, CBS 58, and Fox 6

Social media postings and automated phone calls typically occur between 4:30-5:30 AM, but the nature of any given storm/front means the notification could take place at whatever time is most appropriate to ensure student and staff safety.

The phone number and email address you supplied during the online student registration process is the number/address pulled by the Skyward/Skylert system. Parents can update any phone number/address by clicking on "account" in the upper right of the screen when in Skyward Family Access.

The decision to cancel school is based on the relevant factors associated with any given weather scenario. The condition of local streets, school district grounds, busing services, and the forecast/timing of potentially dangerous weather are all considered. A wind chill WARNING (a sustained wind chill of around -35 or colder) is a key decision-point for nearly all school districts.

The following organizations/sources contribute to the process:

National Weather Service office in Sullivan,
Waukesha County school districts,
Dousman Transportation Company,
Department of Transportation, and
local law enforcement agencies.

The safety of our students, parents and staff is our highest priority. If school is not canceled, parents still may determine the weather conditions are not safe and contact the AHS office to excuse their child(ren).

Sincerely,

Conrad D. Farner

Superintendent

Happy New Year!

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 15: No School for students

January 16-18: Semester Exams

January 17: Incoming Freshmen Orientation

January 19: No School for students

January 29: 6:00pm Facilities Study Community Presentation - South Library

Upcoming School Board Meetings

January 9: Policy Committee Meeting, 6:45 am, District Board RoomJanuary 10: Conversations with the Board (6:30 pm) and School Board Meeting (7:00 pm), South Campus LibraryJanuary 16: Policy Committee Meeting, 6:45 am, District Board RoomJanuary 25: Curriculum Committee Meeting, 6:45 am, District Board RoomJanuary 26: Finance and Legislation Committee Meeting, 6:45 am, District Board Room

Important Updates

SEMESTER EXAMS

Just a reminder that semester exams will be conducted shortly after Winter Break! Exams will run Tuesday - Thursday, January 16 -18. Please see the full schedule below. Also note both breakfast and lunch will be offered for purchase. In addition, our team of therapy dogs will be visiting in each campus library to help ease the stress of exams for our students....and staff.

Exam Schedule

ACT PREP

The ACT is one of the most important tests a college-bound student will take in high school. ALL JUNIORS will take the ACT at Arrowhead on March 12, 2024.

We want our students to feel confident and prepared. Below is information to help students access resources for ACT Prep. Contact the North Campus Counseling office if you have questions.

FREE ACT PREP THROUGH XELLO - Methodize, all students have access!

NEW: ACT BOOTCAMP Sign up by clicking the link. Held Saturdays at AHS in January and February.

ACT MATERIALS ONLINE: Free and additional materials for purchase:

Students have found the new and improved ACT PREP ONLINE to be very helpful. This is a six-month subscription to a dynamic, interactive test prep course from the makers of the ACT! Go to: http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation.html

Personalized learning paths
Practice tests with real ACT test questions
Comprehensive content review
Anywhere, anytime access via the Internet

Free Guide from ACT: https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/Preparing-for-the-ACT.pdf
Free Study Guide, flashcard and sample test items: https://uniontestprep.com/act
http://blog.prepscholar.com/complete-official-act-practice-tests-free-links
ACT Academy: FREE ONLINE https://academy.act.org

National Test Dates (please see http://www.act.org) for more information

(National Test: FEBRUARY 10 - Register by January 5)

It is a great idea to take ONE ACT test before the state test held on March 12!

INCOMING FRESHMEN ORIENTATION NIGHT

Welcome Arrowhead High School Class of 2028!

During this exciting new beginning, it is important that appropriate and informed decisions regarding course selection be made. To assist with that process, Arrowhead will be offering an orientation program for incoming freshmen entering in Fall of 2024 on Wednesday, January 17th from 5:30pm-7:50pm. The purpose of orientation is to provide clarity in the course selection process, an overview of each department, and access to information on classes and co-curriculars.

Orientation will be held at North Campus in order to use the larger spaces and accommodate all families. Families will rotate between three different sessions. Afterward, staff members from various departments will be available to answer questions. Also, for those interested, tours of South Campus will be offered before ( please arrive at Door A anytime between 4:45 and 5:10 and we will have students from our Warhawk Interact Club providing tours) and after the evening’s orientation sessions.

Course selection materials from the Arrowhead High School Counseling Office will be distributed at your student’s current school. Arrowhead staff will be available in the cafeteria to answer questions regarding program selection. Below you will find a schedule for the evening and your locations during that time. We ask that families follow the assigned locations so that we can accommodate all attendees efficiently.

Please see additional information on parking and the evening's schedule linked HERE

We look forward to working together to make this coming school year a success for your student(s)

New Bell Schedule for the 2024-25 School Year

For the past several years, Arrowhead has been exploring schedule change options that optimize student opportunities and provide systemic academic support for all students. After two publicly held Board workshops and several committee meetings of discussion, the Arrowhead School Board approved a new schedule for 2024-25 at the November 8, 2023 School Board meeting.

Our current 10-period day, created in the 1970s, has evolved over the years to include 40 minute, 60 minute, A/B Block (every other day) and everyday block classes. The schedule no longer fits the learning needs of all students to increase growth and achievement for all. The Board and Administration, based on extensive reviews of high-performing area districts, believe we can serve students better in a A/B block schedule with a resource period.

Parent and student survey responses (2022) provided valuable information, and also identified some key misconceptions and misunderstandings about the A/B Block model. The information below should clarify what the new schedule will look like.

Resource Period

Resource period will provide students access to teachers for support, enrichment, and connection on a daily basis. For students who do not need to see a teacher on any given day, the resource period can serve as a study hall. The resource period will be required attendance, unless stated by administration that certain grade levels are excused.
When a student is absent, the daily resource period will support students who missed class. Missing one day in a block schedule also means students do not miss any class time for half of their classes, as opposed to missing EVERY class under the current model. Further, the Canvas Learning Management System assists students with knowing what was taught in addition to providing access to resources/materials.

A/B Block Structure

A/B block provides students with the opportunity to take up to four classes a day on A days and up to four classes a day on B days (8 classes each semester).
We believe it is in our students’ best interests to take a study hall each semester, however students may still enroll in 8 classes per semester.
Students who wish to participate in FSO (Flexible Schedule Option) may still do so. The schedule for FSO will likely be every other day.
Students will have academic core classes (English, Math, Social Studies, Science) all year.
ALL AP courses will continue to have instructional minutes that exceed the College Board recommended minutes for instruction.
Some elective classes/required classes that are currently one semester will remain so while year long classes will remain year long.

Learning in the Block

85 minute classes will be divided into “chunks” of time, improving upon already well-designed lessons by our teachers. Block lessons provide ample time for review of previous lessons, guided practice, deeper “dives” into content, group work, active “hands on” learning, independent support and intervention.
The block of time supports building strong literacy skills, which is a focus of our continuous improvement plan.
Teachers will not be lecturing for 85 minutes. The A/B block supports deeper learning as opposed to mere coverage of topics.
The data from throughout the state of Wisconsin, as we have analyzed school achievement and schedules, shows several of the school districts that outperform AHS currently have a form of block schedule with a resource period.
The A/B block schedule does NOT mean less opportunities for students. We can maintain course options and many students will be able to take more classes because there will be less course conflicts in scheduling. Students can continue to take 7, 7.5 or 8 classes a semester.

For more detailed information regarding the schedule, please review the FAQ.

Additionally, we will hold an informational meeting about the schedule on December 13, 2023 from 5-6:30 in the South Campus Library.

As partners in education, we have the same goals for our students – we want them to achieve at the highest levels possible and be ready for the next stages of their lives. We want students to learn in a supportive environment and embrace all the opportunities high school offers. We can accomplish this shared vision in the new block schedule. The Arrowhead Administration and School Board appreciate your support in making this exciting change.

Please look for additional details and opportunities to learn more in the coming months.

Sincerely,

AHS Administration

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

NOVEMBER

Introducing Arrowhead High School's Students of the Month!!! This is a new recognition highlighting outstanding students who have captured the gratitude and appreciation of both teachers and administrators. Our hope is to celebrate the exceptional qualities and achievements of students who display dedication, leadership, academic excellence, and high quality character within our school. Congratulations to these incredible students who represent the true quality of our AHS student body!

AHS Facilities STudy

Long-Term Facilities Planning

Arrowhead Union High School District School Community,

Long-range facilities planning continues at Arrowhead Union High School. On Wednesday, December 13, the School Board received a summary presentation of the recently completed facilities assessment, a comprehensive review of our school’s facilities and site.

Key highlights from the report include the following:

Building Conditions - The assessment concluded that our buildings are well maintained but suffer from numerous age-related deficiencies. For example, several plumbing, electrical and mechanical components are at or past their useful life. Our maintenance building suffers from structural concerns and our buildings have several Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) deficiencies.

Educational Adequacy - Well-designed learning environments support good instructional practices and facilitate student learning. In many respects, our buildings do not meet best practice in learning design. The assessment points out that our facilities have limited daylight, lack well-designed small group collaboration space, have limited flexible furniture, and could benefit from larger common areas (e.g., gyms, pool, auditorium, cafeteria). The assessment also notes the campus could benefit from enhanced safety and security measures, including secure entries and improved traffic flow.

Capacity and Utilization - The study found that North and South Campus have sufficient core classroom space. However, many common areas (e.g., gyms, pool, auditorium and cafeteria) are undersized and heavily utilized. On the other hand, specialty learning areas such as art, music and career & technical education (CTE) are duplicated between North and South Campus and are therefore underutilized.

We invite you to learn more about our facilities by reviewing the facilities assessment presentation delivered to the School Board on December 13, 2023. In the coming weeks, we will launch and share a facilities page on our AHS website that will house this report and all information surrounding our long range facilities planning. We also invite you to join us on January 29th for a co-sponsored public information event presented by the Arrowhead High School and the Arrowhead High School PTO regarding the District Facilities Study conducted by Eppstein Uhen Architects and VJS Construction.

In the months to come, the facilities assessment will be thoroughly examined so long-range options can be considered. We look forward to engaging staff, parents and the community-at-large as the facilities planning process evolves.

Sincerely,

Conrad D. Farner

Superintendent

Please join us for this important public information event:

Arrowhead High School District Facilities Study

Co-sponsored by the

Arrowhead Union High School District

and the Arrowhead High School PTO

This is an opportunity to learn and provide input on the potential options for the future of AHS facilities!

Who: All community members (7 feeder PTOs special invitation)

What: Review possible facility options for the future of AHS

When: Monday, January 29th from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Where: South Campus Library

Why: Help provide input for the AHS Board of Education’s consideration of a path forward

Future Dates

Mark your calendars for the detailed presentations of possible facilities options: Feb. 20th & Feb. 29th.

ARROWHEAD HIGH SCHOOL

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Hello Arrowhead Community!

As we are just days past the Christmas holiday and the much needed Winter Break from school, the season again gave rise to greater reflection on those things for which we are most grateful in our lives.

As it relates to Arrowhead High School, gratitude is extended to the many administrators, teachers, staff and board members that strive to deliver the best to our students. As it takes many forms, what does “the best” look like?

“The best” can be seen in the countless hours devoted to the understanding of our student needs and performance, and the countless hours that are / will be spent in efforts to maximize the potential and performance of our kids. “The best” is seen in the palpable levels of caring and concern for the well-being of our student body. “The best” is on display as involved individuals commit vast amounts of time and energy to the process of judiciously addressing budget and facility problems at our school, to ensure that “the best” can continue to be provided to our students. While similar such examples take place in classrooms every day at AHS, the School Board experienced “the best” at our December meeting, when the dedicated Mr. Chaviano led his talented choir ensemble in a performance that left no eyes dry.

As we reflect on the festivities of the season, remember to be mindful of “the best” happening around us - and take time to be thankful for it.

The School Board extends its warmest wishes to our entire Arrowhead Community and hope that all enjoyed a family-filled and joyful holiday season!

In gratitude,

Kim Schubert

School Board President

PARENT Groups

Arrowhead Scholarship Fund (ASF) and Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

AHS PTO

Please join us for this important public information event:

Arrowhead High School District Facilities Study

Co-sponsored by the

Arrowhead Union High School District

and the Arrowhead High School PTO

This is an opportunity to learn and provide input on the potential options for the future of AHS facilities!

Who: All community members (7 feeder PTOs special invitation)

What: Review possible facility options for the future of AHS

When: Monday, January 29th from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Where: South Campus Library

Why: Help provide input for the AHS Board of Education’s consideration of a path forward

Future Dates

Mark your calendars for the detailed presentations of possible facilities options: Feb. 20th & Feb. 29th.

AGENDAS & Past Meeting MINUTES are Linked here:

https://drive.google.com/.../1WWBcH82xZ5LOc94XCyZ5YLiikyw...

Arrowhead Scholarship Fund

Seniors,

The Arrowhead Scholarship Fund has honored the achievements of well-rounded students by awarding scholarships to graduating seniors since 1958. We are excited to begin the application process for 2024!

Attached are the Application Instructions which you can use to start gathering the necessary information, even before the application opens.

The application will be open on December 19, 2023.

2024 Application Instructions

A little more information about ASF and the application:

Last year, ASF awarded 110 scholarships to AHS graduates.
On the application, there are worksheets to fill out for employment, community service, extracurricular activities - clubs and sports.
Students will need two references - one must be an AHS Teacher.
There is a short essay prompt.
There are a variety of scholarships available, some have specific criteria. Overall, ASF is looking for well rounded students.
By completing one application, you will be considered for all available scholarships

Any questions or concerns, please email asfapplication@arrowheadschools.org

Parent Information

Skylert message.pdf

Dear Senior Parents and Guardians,

With graduation just around the corner, we are requesting that you please print your child's name as you would like it to appear on their graduation diploma. This should be their full legal name as the diploma insert is a legal document (no nicknames). Use UPPER and LOWER cases with SPACES as needed.

Please complete this Google form by January 12: Graduation Diploma

Thank you

2024 SENIOR PARTY HELP

Before you get to proudly watch your senior cross the stage to receive an AHS diploma, your senior will be enjoying a final party with peers the night before. With that, WHY NOT HELP GET THE PARTY STARTED! We are asking you to let us know if you would be interested in taking the lead on this years Senior Party OR if you'd be willing to help.

Please complete the questions in this Google Form so we can be in touch moving forward. THANK YOU in advance for your help!

From your AHS Counseling Department

With college admission decisions beginning to be released to our senior students, next steps should include applying for financial aid. We are anticipating the new FAFSA for Fall 2024-Spring 2025 will be available December 31, 2023. In the meantime, students can prepare for the application by setting up their username and password on the studentaid.gov website. As a test run with the new system, we completed the Federal Aid Student Estimator that can be found at studentaid.gov/aid-estimator. We encourage families to use this tool. Additionally, the Counseling Department is seeking feedback if families would be interested in attending a financial aid night. Please complete this brief 1 question survey so we can gauge interest.

AHS DISTRICT REPORT CARD

The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is required by state statute (Wis. Stat. 115.385) to generate a school report card for every publicly funded school and district in the state. The report cards provide useful information that guides efforts to best meet the needs of students. These public report cards can be found online at: http://dpi.wi.gov/accountability/report-cards.

This link is to the AUHSD district report card: LINK TO REPORT CARD.

School report cards are primarily based on the previous year’s performance (the 2022-23 school year). Schools and districts receive a score for four priority areas:

Achievement - proficiency in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics;
Growth - year-to-year progress in ELA and math achievement;
Target Group Outcomes - outcomes for students with the lowest test scores;
On-Track to Graduation - how successfully students are progressing toward completing their K-12 education.

The priority area scores are aggregated into an overall accountability score. Scores can range from 0 to 100. The 0 to 100 accountability score is not a “percent correct” and is not aligned with traditional 0-100 grading scales. Based on its score, a school or district receives one of five ratings:

Significantly Exceeds Expectations
Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Meets Few Expectations
Fails to Meet Expectations

Arrowhead High School’s 2022-23 score is:

81.7 - Exceeds Expectations

The state report card illuminates both areas of success and areas of focus. The report card is just one source of information about our school. Arrowhead prioritizes well-rounded education through an exceptional variety of courses and experiences that grow students' knowledge, skills, health, wellbeing, and sense of community.

WISCONSIN STATE ACT

ACT Results for state Accountability testing were released in October For full review of the results by districts, go to https://wisedash.dpi.wi.gov/.

2022-23 ACT Results for Arrowhead:

Composite - 22.7

English - 21.1

Science - 23.3

Math - 23.2

Reading - 22.6

The ACT assesses students in grade 11. The ACT assesses students' academic readiness for college. The ACT tests five subject areas – English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Writing. The Composite score is the whole number average of the subject area scores not including Writing. Beginning in 2015-16, an English Language Arts (ELA) score based on the English, Reading and Writing scores and a STEM score based on Mathematics and Science was reported. The highest possible score on the exam is 36.

2022-23 Pre ACT Results for Arrowhead:

English - 9th grade -18.8

English -10th grade -20.6

Science 9th grade - 19.0

Science 10th grade-20.7

Math 9th grade- 21.0

Math 10th grade- 22.6

Reading 9th grade- 19.7

Reading 10th grade-21.2

PreACT Secure is a summative assessment given to 9th and 10th grade students that is aligned to the ACT and the ACT College and Career Readiness Standards. 2022-23 was the first academic year that this assessment was administered to 9th and 10th graders (Previously ACT Aspire). PreACT Secure measures what students have learned in the areas of English, Reading, Mathematics, and Science.PreACT Secure is an online assessment.ACT has established PreACT Secure Readiness Benchmarks that are linked to the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. These Benchmarks are independent of Wisconsin’s PreACT Secure Performance Level Scale Scores that are used for state accountability.Students scoring at or above the Readiness Benchmark in grades 9-10 are on target to meet the corresponding ACT College Readiness Benchmark in grade 11. The ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are the ACT scores that represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75-80% chance of obtaining a C or higher in corresponding credit-bearing courses.

ACT’S PRE ACT Secure READINESS BENCHMARKS

A word of caution: Note that no single test can tell us whether students have learned everything that is important for students to learn. Additional local evidence should be reviewed for a more complete picture of student learning.

Arrowhead uses the results of the ACT and Pre ACT as part of district goal setting and our school improvement planning.

CELEBRATIONS!

Another proud moment for Arrowhead! Marketing students Diego Hernandez and Maggie Kurtz were filmed today for Channel 12 WISN's "Project Pitch It". It will be aired sometime in March. It was a fun day today for me to see our marketing kids in action on tv. Attached is a press release if you like to know some details. Special thank you to Warhawk Manufacturing to help Maggie with her prototypes!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ud3nxy-AcwysW9yNo5ufNHoF_lrs_Ig3GrQ8gtRUo6c/edit

2023 Fall Boys High School All-America Team

We are pleased and proud to announce that on behalf of United Soccer Coaches, Jaxon Marshall has been selected to the 2023 Fall Boys High School All-America Team! This honor is due to being one of the best soccer players in the nation this fall.

Jaxon can attend the All American Ceremony and Reception on Saturday, January 13, 2024 in Anaheim, CA if he chooses to do so. The event honors All-America players at the youth, high school and college levels and is held in conjunction with the annual United Soccer Coaches Convention. It is an extraordinary event celebrating the best amateur soccer players in the United States for 2023.

CONGRATULATIONS JAXON!!

ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES

Activities Office Contact Information

We're excited to welcome our student-athletes back for the 23-24 school year!

Activities Director: Ryan Mangan 262-369-3612 Ext 4203 mangan@arrowheadschools.org

AD Assistant: Patrick Cottrell 8:00am-4:30pm 262-369-3612 Ext 4202 cottrell@arrowheadschools.org

Activities Asst. Jill Bradley 7:00am-10:45am 262-369-3612 Ext 4213 bradley@arrowheadschools.org

Activities Asst. Tina Groff 10:45am-4:00pm 262-369-3612 Ext 4213

groff@arrowheadschools.org

Fax: 262-367-1870

School Year Hours: 7:00am-4:30pm

Linked HERE is information on all of our AHS Fall Sports and click HERE for information on all of our Clubs and HERE for our Fine Arts Programs!

Additional parent updates and information

VAPING

In our last issue, we provided the following article for parents. Since that time, we also hosted a presentation on vaping at Parent-Teacher Conferences on November 9th. We would like to provide those slides for you. Please use this presentation to have a conversation with your child(ren) about vaping BUT be cautious in sharing it in it's entirely as you don't want to help your child(ren) find hiding spots (slide 24) or get other ideas on how to keep this behavior a secret.

Arrowhead High School

Non-Arrowhead High School Sponsored Event or Activity

Absence Exception Request

Linked here you will find the application forms to be completed by you and your child relating to a request to exempt absences when participating in non-Arrowhead High School sponsored events or activities. Due to the fact that many of these events/activities take place outside of Hartland as well as outside of Wisconsin, we have found that students who participate in these tend to miss a larger number of days than students who are participating in an event/activity sponsored by AHS.

Parents may excuse their students who miss school for a non-Arrowhead Sponsored Event as long as they are within the 10 days of absence alloted by the State of Wisconsin. Once the 10 days are met, students are marked as unexcused. An exemption in the missed day(s) can be granted if the student qualifies based on the application form linked above and team decision. An exemption means the absence does not count towards those 10 days.

Please click on the link above and review the information provided.

Start the New Year with a New Career

Join our awesome team of School Bus Drivers

Call our North Lake Office

262-966-9690 or Apply On-Line

Dtcbus.net

Starting pay $19.30 with a $2000 sign-on bonus

Flexible Hours and 401K eligibility

AHS Fundraising

AHS Programs Financial Support

School funding is always a challenging world to navigate. Each year, schools see a set of opportunities with costs associated with them that are unable to be funded by the current state funding and the AHS budget. We often have families with the means to support such opportunities who have expressed that there isn't an avenue to be made aware or to donate directly to a need. Each newsletter, we will list opportunities for our community to consider supporting. There is never an expectation, only an appreciation for considering.

Current Considerations

The Warhawk Rise Program - We are still looking for a committed benefactor who would like to support this great event! A new program we are developing at AHS that will recognize any student who has improved their grade point average by 1.0 or better from one semester to the next. (EX: from a 2.5 Fall semester to a 3.5 Spring semester) This is a significant achievement by students who put in great efforts toward success that may not always receive the recognition they deserve. The annual cost of this program runs about $4,000 each year and includes a semi-formal celebration brunch with their families invited and and gift bags recognizing their efforts. Please contact Principal Adam Kurth at kurth@arrowheadschools.com or North Counselor, Kelly Matthias at matthias@arrowheadschools.org to support.

Arrowhead Scholarship Fund - This amazing program provides an incredible amount of scholarships each year thanks to the generosity of our community. Families and companies have the ability to provide direction as to how their scholarship would be decided and awarded. Please see the ASF Donor Webpage for more information!

AHS Tennis Courts Fundraiser Please consider supporting our tennis efforts to update and upgrade our AHS tennis courts!

AHS Pool Fundraiser - (Coming Soon!)

Enjoy a little of the holiday cheer we were treated to- courtesy of our AHS Girls Concert Choir!!!

IMG_5212.MOV