September 23, 2024 Weekly Newsletter

Hello wonderful Alta Community,

We are excited to continue working with your students this week.  Here are several useful pieces of information:

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Conference will be today and tomorrow.  All conferences will be by appointment only.  If you were not able to sign up for an appointment time, please reach out directly to the teacher to schedule another time that would work for each of you.  If you did sign up for an appointment time, here is the schedule:

• Sept. 23: In-person at Alta High School in teachers classroom.
• Sept. 24: Virtual appointments with teacher.  Conference links will be displayed on our school’s website at ahs.canyonsdistrict.org.

There is no school on Friday due to conferences with teacher this week.

Advisory: We are very pleased about the evolution of our advisory program. The new schedule provides students with additional intervention time and allows them the opportunity to tailor this time to more effectively meet their personal learning needs and goals. Here are some clarifications and guidelines that will help them make the most effective and efficient use of this time. 

1. Wednesday and Thursday Advisory Intervention time takes place during school instructional hours. Teachers are working and supervising full classes of students studying multiple subjects during this period. This makes Advisory Intervention time most ideal and most effective for make-up work and for additional time to complete unfinished assignments that require limited teacher supervision or guidance.
2. Advisory Intervention time can NOT accommodate personal tutoring needs because the teacher is not available for one-on-one individual tutoring. Students whose academic needs and goals require personal, individual tutoring to improve understanding or who require personal tutoring following missed instruction due to absence would be much better served by taking advantage of the morning engagement period from 7:10 to 7:40 or after school engagement from 2:25 to 2:55. At these times students can make an appointment with their teacher and receive individual one-on-one tutoring.

We look forward to working with your student to provide the academic interventions they need in the most effective and efficient way possible.

Reflections: The Reflections Arts Contest is open!! The theme is “Accepting Imperfection”.  All entries are due Wednesday, October 23rd. For more information or to enter click here:  https://www.utahpta.org/ref.  Please also reference the attached file.

• For questions please email Reflections@AltaHighPTSA.com

Freshman Class Officer Elections: Is your freshman interested in running for student government? If so, they will reach out to Ms. Louder.  Students will apply to run at schoolelections.canyonsdistrict.org.  

Applications are due on September 25th.  Campaigning will begin on September 30th.  Please start thinking about campaign ideas now.  For more information, you can contact Shaley Louder at shaley.louder@canyonsdistrict.org

Math and Science lab: Students have the opportunity to attend intervention time for their math and science classes after school. Math lab has begun and Science lab will begin shortly.  Have your student check with their math and science teachers for the afterschool schedule.

Open Special Education Para-professional positions available: We have a couple open positions for classroom para-professionals to assist in our special education rooms.  If you, or someone you know, is interested please apply at https://jobs.canyonsdistrict.org/human-resources/index.cfm#!/jobs/10.  Make sure you apply at the Alta location.

AP EXAMS: Dear Alta High School Students, Parents, and Guardians,

AP Exam registration has begun.  AP exams need to be ordered and paid for by November 13th , 2024, to meet the fall ordering deadline. Please remember, you must register and pay for the exam separately. The process for registering and paying for AP exams are attached below and have been posted on the Alta High School website.  You may also pick up an instructional flyer in the counseling office

2024 PSAT Information: The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a great tool for students considering college. The PSAT/NMSQT measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills and writing skills. It is also taken to enter the competition for National Merit Scholar scholarships (11th graders) and to help prepare for the SAT.  The 2024 PSAT will be administered on Wednesday, October 30th.  Students participating in this exam will be excused from their morning classes.  Exam registration and payment will take place online beginning on August 26th. Student will register and pay at:  www.totalregistration.net/PSAT/450402

•  The cost for the PSAT will remain the same this year at $20 per exam. 
• Students with an accommodation plan must register and complete payment by September 6th in order to request accommodation approval from College Board.
• The registration and payment deadline are Friday, September 27th.  A $5 late fee will begin on Monday, September 23rd. There are a limited number of spaces available, so please don’t wait until the last minute.  Please note that the PSAT test will be given in digital format. College Board no longer allows paper testing of the PSAT NMSQT. Students will need to bring a district issued, fully charged Chromebook to the exam.
• Please contact Dr. Joden Jensen,  jodene.jensen@canyonsdistrict.org , if you have any questions.