Dear AHS Families,

Tomorrow, we will all set our clocks forward one hour. The general purpose behind this century old practice is to allow us to make better use of natural daylight. For many, this practice signifies that Spring is in the air, but for those of us working in education, it also signifies that we are mere weeks away from the final quarter of the school year. So as we "Spring Forward" I thought it may be pertinent to give you a sense of what lies ahead.

On Thursday of this week, our first group of seniors will present their Capstone projects. For those of you that are unaware, one of the requirement in order to graduate from AHS is a culminating inquiry based project, where students research and present on a topic of their choosing. Students may present in the Fall or Spring of their Senior Year. They are encouraged to begin thinking about ideas for their Capstone project and also to find a mentor to assist them with the content of their project in the Spring of their Junior year.  From there, they work independently to conduct research in order to devise a creative solution for a real-world problem. While the scale and scope of the Capstone sounds daunting, the final presentations illustrate how rewarding it is for students to  spend their time and efforts tackling an issue that has contemporary implications. Working on the project also  prepares students for their post secondary plans by instilling a set of specific skills that are both highly valued by colleges and employers, and will ultimately serve students well into the rest of their lives. 

In Avon, we believe that the Portrait of an AHS Graduate includes the following skills: a) communication and expression, b) collaboration and c) critical and creative thinking,; AHS graduates should should also display the dispositions of being culturally competent as well as independent and adaptable.  The Capstone projects completed by our seniors demonstrate that our students truly are ready to go off into the world and carve their own paths. Families and community members are invited to be present to witness the students showcase their new learning and incredible presentation skills. Presentations will run from 5:30 pm until 7:30pm on Thursday, March 16th and again on Wednesday March 22nd. Here is a link to the schedules (this is subject to change). Hope to see some of you there!

Additionally on March 22nd,  our Juniors will have the opportunity to display their intellectual prowess on the CT School Day SAT which is also a graduation requirement at AHS. While our 11th graders are testing, our Freshmen and Sophomores will participate in a career expo which includes Keynote Speaker, Bob Maxon.  Our School counseling department has been working diligently to provide experiences to help stoke our students' curiosity and engagement with various career pathways.

Our APS Blueprint for excellence highlights our belief that critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and innovation are essential and so we are committed to rigorous, comprehensive, and innovative programs, so that every Avon Public School student is consistently challenged and empowered to:

• Communicate effectively and work collaboratively.

• Think critically and creatively to solve challenging problems and advance their own academic and personal goals.

• Be self-directed, self-regulated, and resilient as they live, learn, earn, and navigate their own pathway to success.

Providing opportunities for our students to show continuous improvement of their intellectual capacities, as well as participate in researching and finding positive solutions for challenges in our world, we are demonstrating our commitment to ensuring that our students have a high school experience that prepares them for whatever they choose to do once they walk across the graduation stage and into the next phase of their lives. I can't wait to see the final outcomes!

With anticipation,

Dr. Lockhart