Ash Fork School District

Tis the season 🦠🎄❤️ Stay healthy and stay happy!

A visit with Santa. Bring your little ones for a delightful time with Santa and Mrs. Claus immediately following the Ash Fork Christmas Light Parade! *Meet and greet with Santa Claus *Delicious hot chocolate and cookies! Friday, December 6, 2024 following the Light Parade at 6PM At the Ash Fork Library Presented by the Ash Fork Development Association.

Ash Fork Development Association Presents: The Christmas Light Parade Friday, December 6th @6PM Parade application now available! At the water office or the school. For more information email: satkinson@afjusd.org

Ash Fork Schools will be closed Monday, November 11th, 2024 in observance of Veteran’s Day. Thank you Veterans!

Our high school volleyball team made it to the first round of the state playoffs! They play in Ash Fork tomorrow @6PM. If you plan on attending, you can only purchase tickets online at this site: https://gofan.co/event/1981740 Cash or cards will not be accepted at the door.

The Lady Spartans are the 2024 1A Central Volleyball Region Tournament Runner-up. * Jamie Keele (MB, MH) is a senior ranked fourth in the 1A conference for 78 blocks and top ten for 107 kills. She has played for Ash Fork Schools for her entire high school career. Jamie’s persistence is a game-changer for our team. Her career stat for blocks is 171. * Eva Flores (OH, DS) is a sophomore ranked fifth in the 1A conference for 219 kills. She also leads the conference with 508 digs. She is one of the team's captains and leads by example. * Crystal Nixon (MB, MH) is a junior ranked fifth in 1A-Central for 30 blocks and 66 aces. She continuously looks for ways to get the most effective kills. * Isabella Acosta (S, OPP) is a freshman ranked third in 1A-Central for 76 aces and second for 315 assists. Her incredible court sense and athletic ability also contributed to the top ten for 298 digs. * Arlette Sotelo-Ayala (S) is a sophomore ranked third in 1A-Central with 249 assists. She makes her powerful sets look effortless. * Gracie Staples (OH, DS) is a junior ranked second in 1A-Central for 198 kills and top ten for 298 digs. She is the team’s motivational leader and has been the speaking captain since she was a freshman. * Aura Mendez (L) is a junior ranked fifth in 1A-Central for 312 digs. She is a team captain and determined to finish her season strong while battling a knee injury. * Andrea Vazquez (OPP) is a sophomore ranked in the top 20 in 1A-Central with 51 kills. She is an aggressive all-around player and contributed 152 digs for the team. * Aspen Bond (OPP, DS) is a senior who has played every position. She is a positive and eager player who has played for Ash Fork Schools throughout high school. Her career stats include 424 assists, 681 digs, and 98 aces.

Ash Fork Schools Class of 2026 Presents: 4th Annual Halloween Carnival Tuesday, October 29th from 5-7 PM Games, prizes, cake walk, quarter toss, haunted maze, and trunk or treat-sponsored by the PTO. Game tickets cost $0.25 each

💙✨Homecoming Week✨💙 Help us to support our Spartans and usher in a victory at this year's homecoming game (Soccer Senior Night) on 10/17/24! We are looking for community members to continue to sign up for our Blood Drive happening 10/16/24! Homecoming Bonfire will be taking place on 10/17/24 starting at 6:00PM! Senior Night for Volleyball will be taking place in between the JV and Varsity games on 10/18/24!

Family Fun Dance Night

Ash Fork Middle School will be going to Williams for team building activities on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Permission slips will be sent home on Monday, September 30, 2024.

95 RAP Students in elementary are participating in small groups for a reading intervention program to improve reading achievement. Students have been working hard and in a focused way. They participated in an initial assessment that pinpoints skills they have already mastered as well as skills needing improvement. Each day they participate in a 30 minute session working on 4 components of Oral Drill, Phonological awareness, Word Attack and Fluency. These components focus on the skills that help improve decoding and confidence in reading words quickly in a progressive manner. I am looking forward to the gains in reading fluency for each student.

Ash Fork Historic Museum's Cornhole Tournament & Corn Fest September 28, 2024--901 Old Route 66, Ash Fork, AZ Coloring pages for the coloring contest are available in the front office.

Preparing Students for the Future: A Teacher's Perspective on Career Readiness As the 12th-grade English teacher at Ash Fork High School, I always seek ways to engage my seniors beyond traditional assignments. This year, I had the idea to take our learning a step further by introducing something that combines both the required English standards and real-world career readiness skills. I launched a mock company project for my seniors, and I have to say, the experience has been nothing short of amazing. THE STUDENTS WERE INTRODUCED TO A FICTITIOUS IT COMPANY BASED IN LAS VEGAS THAT HAD JUST OPENED A LOCATION IN OUR SMALL TOWN OF ASH FORK, ARIZONA. FROM DAY ONE, I GAVE THEM REAL-WORLD CHALLENGES TO TACKLE. WE’VE BEEN EXPLORING POTENTIAL HR ISSUES, RESEARCHING HEALTH INSURANCE AND LIABILITY COVERAGE, AND EVEN INVESTIGATING THE POSSIBILITY OF PROVIDING ON-SITE DAYCARE FOR EMPLOYEES. THE STUDENTS HAVE ALSO LEARNED ABOUT OSHA SAFETY TRAININGS AND HOW TO PLAN AND HOST A COMPANY RETREAT. THEY’VE ESSENTIALLY BEEN GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MANAGE THE INNER WORKINGS OF A COMPANY, AND THEY'VE EMBRACED THE ROLE WITH INCREDIBLE ENTHUSIASM. WHILE THE PROJECT MIGHT SEEM LIKE IT BELONGS MORE IN A BUSINESS OR CAREER CLASS, IT’S ALSO DEEPLY TIED TO WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN ENGLISH. MY STUDENTS HAVE BEEN PRACTICING WRITING SKILLS BY CREATING RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS—TASKS THAT DIRECTLY ALIGN WITH ARIZONA’S ENGLISH STANDARDS FOR 12TH GRADE. I WANTED THEM TO SEE THAT WRITING ISN’T JUST ABOUT ESSAYS AND REPORTS; IT’S ABOUT COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY IN THE WORKPLACE. AND NEXT QUARTER, THEY’LL BE PARTICIPATING IN MOCK JOB INTERVIEWS, WHICH WILL BE ANOTHER KEY STEP IN PREPARING THEM FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. WHAT HAS STRUCK ME THE MOST IS HOW MUCH THE STUDENTS HAVE GROWN THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE. THEY’VE HAD TO WORK TOGETHER, SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND MAKE DECISIONS—ALL SKILLS THAT ARE CRITICAL IN THE WORKFORCE. IT’S EASY TO TEACH GRAMMAR OR LITERATURE, BUT GIVING THEM HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS REALLY HELPS THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. CAREER READINESS IS SOMETHING I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE EMPHASIZING MORE IN HIGH SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS. THESE STUDENTS ARE ON THE CUSP OF ENTERING THE WORKFORCE OR GOING TO COLLEGE, AND THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THE REAL CHALLENGES THEY’LL FACE. BY INCORPORATING CAREER SKILLS INTO THE ENGLISH CURRICULUM, I’M HOPING TO GIVE THEM THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO FEEL CONFIDENT IN THEIR NEXT STEPS, WHETHER THAT’S WRITING A STRONG COVER LETTER OR KNOWING HOW TO HANDLE WORKPLACE CONFLICTS. I’VE BEEN GENUINELY IMPRESSED BY HOW MY SENIORS HAVE RISEN TO THE CHALLENGE. THEY’VE SHOWN ME THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY CAPABLE OF MEETING THE ACADEMIC STANDARDS SET BY THE STATE BUT ARE ALSO READY TO TAKE ON REAL-WORLD RESPONSIBILITIES. WATCHING THEM DEVELOP BOTH THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL SKILLS THROUGH THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES OF MY TEACHING CAREER. THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF EDUCATION I WANT TO PROVIDE: ONE THAT GOES BEYOND THE TEXTBOOK AND HELPS STUDENTS PREPARE FOR LIFE. I’M PROUD OF WHAT THEY’VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR, AND I’M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THEY’LL CONTINUE TO GROW THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT MS. MARTIN WITH FEEDBACK ON YOUR GREAT CAREER READINESS IDEAS AT SMARTIN2@AFJUSD.ORG

The Ash Fork Lady Spartans took the Championship, 2 weeks in a row. Last week, the Spartans traveled to the valley and won the small schools Griffin Division by Epictourneys. Today, we won our very own Spartan Volleyball Classic. Isabella (S, OPP), Gracie (OH, DS), Eva (OH, DS), Arlette (S), Jamie (MB), Crystal (MB), Aura (L), Aspen (OPP), and Andrea (DS) played their best! Coaches recognized Gracie (OH, DS)and Isabella (S, DS) as All-Tournament Team players.

The Ash Fork Middle School cross-country team hosted the first annual Spartan Endurance Relay on Monday. The Williams cross-country team earned 1st place with 62 laps, the Ash Fork cross-country teams earned 2nd and 3rd place with 61 laps and 56 laps.

Este es el documento de Reunificación que todas las familias deberán completar antes de recoger a sus estudiantes durante nuestro Simulacro de Reunificación el próximo jueves 19 de septiembre a la 1:30 p.m. ¡Asegúrese de tener sus contactos de emergencia actualizados antes de esa fecha!

This is the Reunification document that all families will need to fill out before picking up their student/s during our Reunification Drill next Thursday, September 19th @1:30 PM. Please make sure that you have your emergency contacts updated before then!

September 4, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Dear Spartan Parents, In conjunction with the Yavapai and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Ash Fork and KEW Fire Departments we will be running a MANDATORY Parent Unification Drill on September 19, 2024 starting at 1:30pm. A Parent Reunification is held in the event of an emergency where student are held in “lockdown” or “evacuated” from campus and released individually to their parents or legal guardians. While we would like to think our community and schools are immune from such emergencies, luck favors the prepared and reunifying over 290 students with their parent/guardians in and organized, safe manner should be practiced, not done in an actual emergency. Our top priority is the safety of the students and peace of mind for the parents. So in preparation for this drill we are requiring the following from you: • Update your students emergency contact information with the school. Verify who can and cannot pick up your child. • Photo ID WILL BE required to pick up your child. • No student including High School will be allowed to “sign themselves out” They must be picked up or signed out by a parent/guardian. We have planned for this to be a drive thru exercise. You will remain in your car and be directed at certain check points to 1. Fill out a simple form listing your child/children you are picking up (Photo ID REQUIRED) and 2. To be reunited with your child/children. All students will remain in lockdown with their teachers until they are picked up. There will be more information forthcoming on this important and mandatory drill including a directional map and informative video that will uploaded to the schools website and Facebook page. We would like to thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation as we plan for this first reunification drill. Sincerely, Seth Staples Superintendent

If you are missing an iPad, one was turned into the front office at the school. Come in and describe it to us.

The Ash Fork Staff had a great time celebrating the Labor Day weekend with some fun runs. We invite you to join us this Friday, 9/6/2024, for our Glow-A-Thon. It will be a fantastic opportunity to participate in a fun run, walk, or jog of your own!