Parents and students in 9th and 10th grades are invited to attend a crucial presentation by High School Counselor, Ms. Melissa Rosas. The session, "Making the Most of High School," will offer actionable insights on self-organization, digital tool usage, time management, and effective study habits.

• Date: Thursday, October 17, 2023

• Time: 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

• Language of Presentation: English

• Location: High School Cafeteria Core A

We're excited to announce the upcoming interdisciplinary essay assessment, which allows students to integrate what they've learned across humanities classes. This test will be held on Wednesday, October 11, from 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Key Points:

• This essay contributes to 20% of your child's grade in English, Spanish, Mexican History, and either AP Human Geography or World History & Geography.

• After writing the essay, students will take their yearbook photos from 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

• 9th grade students will be dismissed for the day at 11:45 a.m. through Door 1 

Preparation:

• Ensure your child to get a good night's sleep and offer your child a healthy breakfast

• Ask your child about the general themes of the essay

• The essay topic will not be disclosed beforehand, and no additional resources can be used during the test.

• We encourage students to review major themes from their classes and engage in teacher-led prep activities.

• Please remind your child about the importance of advance preparation and academic honesty. Instances of dishonesty will be seriously addressed, potentially resulting in a zero.

 On the Day of the Essay:

• To help your child start the day on a positive note, please ensure they arrive on campus before 8:15 a.m.

Pathways for Prevention specialists will be visiting ASFG as part of our health education program and to talk about substance abuse prevention and wellness. 

Parental involvement is crucial, please save the date to join us:

• Parent Meeting - Thursday, September 21  at 7:00 p.m.

Steps to View Grades on PowerSchool:

1. Visit PowerSchool 

2. Enter your username and password.

3. Select the "Grades and Attendance" tab on the left.

4. Observe the latest grades listed under Q1.

If you've forgotten your credentials, please reach out to Ana Paola Cedeño in the High School office: anapaola.cedeno@asfg.edu.mx.

On Monday, September 25, there will be no classes for High School students. This day is reserved for our teachers' Professional Development, where they will delve into our explicit Social Emotional Learning curriculum. Our high school team's primary focus during this training will be to familiarize themselves with the new Wayfinder curriculum, which aligns with the Collaborative for Academic Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework.

23-24 Senior Night/Financial Aid Slides

Over 90 colleges and universities from the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Europe will visit our campus on October 3!

Don't miss this excellent opportunity to talk to representatives directly about the admissions process, degree programs, and scholarships. We highly recommend that parents are involved in these conversations. 

We invite parents of 4th, 8th and 12th grade students to celebrate their child’s achievement through an optional message as a cherished memory from their families. These messages and accompanying photos will be included in an exclusive section of the yearbook designed specifically for graduates. An example can be seen below. (Read more...)

Please be aware that adjustments to your child's class schedule may occur during the first few weeks of classes. This is a standard part of our process to align with each student's educational needs. The add/drop period will end on August 30, 2023, so we kindly ask that you discuss any potential changes with your child before this date. Your cooperation is essential in fostering a successful learning environment.

We will continue with the 10 minute passing period between the classes that end around 10:00. The purpose of this is to provide a bit of time for students and teachers to get to the bathroom, fill up water bottles, and be outside in the hallways. 

This school year we really want to emphasize the importance of adults being out in the hallways between classes, use the passive supervision of our windows to intervene if students are casually in the hallway during instructional time. 

High School Bell Schedule

Congratulations to the TECHO Club for leading a successful construction the weekend of February 18 - 20. Thanks to the student leaders Issac Aguilar and Bella Debarle for their work alongside their classmates, Ms. Alicja Surzyn and Mr. Michael Kaufman to ensure the success of the great service project. 

Special thanks to the donation of Bansi bank to help make the TECHO build more affordable for high school students. 

It was great to see all of the High School talent being showcased at the 34th annual ArtFest. 

15 AP Art Students had their showcased in the Art Fest auction on Friday night and displayed all day Saturday. A handful of high school students and teachers supported the vent with their musical talents Saturday afternoon. 

Ms. Jodi Peterson and Mr. Pepe Sandoval are the wonderful guides on the side helping cultivate such wonderful talent. 

The Career Fair on Wednesday, February 15, was a successful experience for students in attendance to hear from Alejandro Litchi, ASFG Parent and Mexican entrepreneur. Additionally, students attended three workshops based on student interests  surveys from November 2022.  

9th graders went to ITESO to work with both a career exploration survey and workshop experience to better prepare them as they begin thinking about their college and career plans. 

Congratulations to GUAMUN 2023! They hosted a wonderful event focused on diplomacy and current events. The Secretariat, Claudina Vaqueiro and Diana Palma, worked tirelessly to lead all the delegates to a successful experience. 

Jaz O'Hara the Opening Ceremony shared a great message about the story of refugees and their needs. The audience was also honored to hear from Pablo Lemus, Mayor of Guadalajara. 

February 18 - 20, 2023 TECHO Construction Overview: This opportunity is limited to 100 participating students.

• This is an overnight TECHO experience leaving from ASFG's campus Saturday morning and returning to ASFG's Monday evening. 

• 60 spaces allotted for Seniors.

• 40 spaces allocated for students in grades 9-11.

• Participating students will have modified attendance expectations on Tuesday and Wednesday following the construction.

• To confirm participation, families need to pay either at the bank or directly at ASFG's cashier before 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, January 31. 

Matias Martinez is leading an ONI trip as part of his senior project, along with the support of Julian Flores and Cristina Artaza. We plan for 20 Senior students to attend this great service experience. 

Ms. Millstone will be meeting with all 86 juniors and their families about their college plans from February through May. The high school office will contact parents or if special attention is required please contact Paola Cedeño (33-3648-2453) at your earliest convenience. 

Most meetings will be hosted during the following time slots:

• Tuesday-Friday's from 7:40-8:40

• Wednesdays from 11:15-12:15

• Thursday's 2:35-3:35

Congratulations to the 2023 National Honor Society Inductees! NHS members and family gathered on Monday, January 23, to acknowledge and recognize students of the American School Foundation of Guadalajara for their accomplishments in the ideals of Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Service, and Character. 

Each year, candidates go through an extremely rigorous selection process, meaning that induction to the NHS is an extraordinary feat- an indication of excellence in several spheres.

Ms. Millstone and the Parents Association have been working tirelessly to ensure a great experience for all of our students. We are thrilled to announce that Alejandro Litchi will be the keynote speaker to the 2023 Career Fair. 

Students in grade 10-12 will attend three workshops that expose them to the experience of different professionals. The workshop topics were selected was based on student interests  surveys from November 2022.  

9th graders will go to ITESO to work with both a career exploration survey and workshop experience to better prepare them as they begin thinking about their college and career plans. 

The High School Graduation Day Community Survey identified that Friday is the best day of the week for the academic ceremony. We had 223 responses with an overwhelming preference for the Friday evening academic ceremony.  

The 2023 Graduation we be held on Friday, June 9, with a start time of approximately 5:00 p.m. With no time Spring time change (cambio de horrario)  we will have a better understanding of the exact start time in April. 

As stated in the videos embedded in the survey, rain and Guadalajara weather is out of our control. We will continue with the use of the tents that can help protect against the elements and hope the weather cooperates. 

On Tuesday, October 25, grade 10 and 11 students (along with 9th graders that signed up) will be taking the CollegeBoard PSAT assessment at 7:50 a.m. Many Seniors will be taking their Tec de Mty and ITESO admissions exams. The PSAT helps students prepare for college admissions tests that are administered for both national and international universities. 

How can family members help?

• Have a nightly routine that supports your child to get a good night's sleep.

• Ensure your child is at school on time to be seated in their testing room at 7:50 a.m.

• Offer your child a healthy breakfast. 

• Check that your child arrives with a fully charged graphing or scientific calculator, sharpened pencils, and an eraser.

• Make sure your child brings their ASFG school ID.

This will be a wonderful community event filled with the school parade, costumes, music, and treats. Thank you in advance for your support and we look forward to bringing the complete Halloween experience back to campus on this wonderful day. Let’s make this Halloween and Day of the Dead a fun and kind celebration!

In order for this day to run smoothly, please be aware of the following items:

• Students in grades 9, 10 and 11 report to first period class at 8:20 for attendance

• The celebration is 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

• The Parents Association is providing high school students with tacos and music.

• Student council is organizing a costume contest, pumpkin carving, a balloon toss, and a great community-building experience! 

• Only current ASFG students may attend this event (do not invite students from other schools).

Leaving Earlier than 11:30 a.m. on Halloween

• Early dismissal requests will not be accepted on Friday during the Halloween celebration. 

• The high school office will only accept dismissal requests from parents for any student needing to leave campus before 11:30 a.m. up until Thursday, October 27 at 3:00 p.m. 

Costume Reminders:

• No plastic or wooden guns, knives, swords, or other weapons etc. 

• Please keep wheels and pets at home.

• Please be respectful when choosing your costume remembering there is no place for sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise offensive costumes on our campus.

• If your child is in a group costume, please discuss with them to be sensitive and considerate to those who may feel excluded from the costume idea. 

• If there are any doubts about your child’s costume, please ask them to check with Mr. Kaufman or Mr. Zink in the office first.

• The high school office reserves the right to ask any student to change their costume or go home, even if you are a Senior! 

Senior Dances will happen after the school parade. We anticipate the following dance times. Please understand the schedule is fluid based on the parade end-time and we encourage Senior Parents to be on campus from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.:

• 1st Performance starting after parade, approximately 10:15 - 10:30

• 2nd Performance in early childhood, approximately 10:30-10:45

• 3rd Parent Performance on the roof at approximately 11:00

On this day there will be no academic classes and we will hand out the 1st quarter report cards. More importantly, teachers will be available to meet with you and your child about their achievements. We highly encourage all students and parents to attend. 

• Registration opens at 7:40 a.m. to pick up your child’s 1st quarter report card

• The registration table will be open throughout the two sessions outside the high school office

• Note the early end time at 1:30 p.m. to these conferences

• We ask that conversations are limited to approximately 7-10 minutes to be respectful of other parents waiting to meet with teachers

Required Attendance: All students who have a grade below 65% are required to attend to understand their status of "At Risk of Conditional Matriculation." Parents of these students will be contacted in a separate email once grades are finalized. 

Please see the Suicide Prevention Slides at left to learn some of the information that was shared during Wednesday's meeting. 

We had hoped for a higher attendance at Wednesday's parent meeting. We had less than 20 families represented of the 298 we have in high school or 6.5% of families represented.