Ashland High School

Matilda the Musical Update! Opening night is being moved to Saturday night, and the pay-what-you-will preview will be taking place Friday night at 7:00 pm instead of Thursday.

Congratulations to Ashland’s Will Downs who placed for at the State Wrestling Championships! Congratulations, Will!

MATILDA the Musical Presented by AHS Theater *PAY WHAT YOU WILL PREVIEW MARCH 7TH @ 7PM TICKET PRICING $20 - ADULTS $10 STUDENTS Tickets, sold online at ashlandhs.booktix.com Evening Showtimes @ 7pm March 9TH, 14TH, 15TH & 16TH @ 7PM Matinees @ 2pm March 10TH, 16TH & 17TH @

Congratulations to Ashland’s Aiden Espinoza who placed 5th in the 100 butterfly and 4th in the 100 Back stroke at the State Championships! Congratulations, Aiden!

On Sunday, March3, 2024, AHS was proud to host Senator Merkley’s Jackson County Town Hall. AHS Students Owen Taylor,Azalea Davis-Powell, and Ella Robinson asked the opening and closing questions of the Senator. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to host the town hall and for all of the participants. Many thanks to the AHS staff and leadership students that made it possible Owen Taylor, Azalea Davis-Powell, and Ella Robinson. For additional details, see: https://ashland.news/ashland-audience-questions-sen-merkley-on-wide-range-of-topics/

Don't forget! Attendance matters! As of the start of this semester - any student with 3 or more Unexcused absences or 3 or more tardies in a week will be serving a mandatory makeup after school on Monday from 3 to 3:35, Wednesday from 2:35 to 3:10, or Friday from 3 to 3:35. This make up will be reflected in PowerSchool. Failure to make up UNX tardies and UNX absences will result in Saturday School on the last Saturday of the month.

Come give water polo a try! April 1-5, 4:30-6:30 pm at Daniel Meyer Pool. Open to everybody grades 6-12. Free to all players and all experience levels welcome! Regular Spring Season April 8-May 23, 4:30-6:30 pm Mondays through Thursdays at Daniel Meyer Pool. All players must be registered, have an USA Water Polo Membership and pay club fee to participate. Scholarships are available, ALL players are welcome. Become part of a winning team as well as a fun, supportive community! Visit ashlandwaterpolo.org for more information

Congratulations to Flannery Lundgren and Tessa Hobein! These two student-athletes will continue their athletic journey in college. Flannery will be playing volleyball for Puget Sound, and Tessa will be a dual threat in volleyball and softball for Pacific University.

SENIOR ALL NIGHT BE PART OF THE ASHLAND TRADITION BECOME A SPONSOR! CLASS OF 2024 Please consider supporting Ashland High School's graduating seniors by sponsoring the Senior All Night Party, a parent-organized drug and alcohol free event offering a safe and exciting way for all graduates to celebrate their success. HELP US KEEP OUR YOUTH SAFE ON GRADUATION NIGHT! Funds are needed to cover the cost of facility rental, food, activies, insurance, and raffle prizes. CONSIDER SPONSORING AT ONE OF THESE LEVELS Platinum $ 1,500 Gold $ 1,000 Silver $500 Bronze $250 Friend 250 FUN, GAMES, FOOD, RAFFLE, CASH + PRIZES! THURSDAY JUNE 6, 2024 MT. ASHLAND DRUG & ALCOHOL FREE! WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU. BECOME AN EVENT SPONSOR TODAY! Sponsors will be recognized in a full-page Thank You ad in the July Sneak Preview. Let's come together to celebrate these awesome Ashland High School graduates with a SAFE, fun, and exciting evening! Mail checks to: AHS Senior All Night Party 1467 Siskiyou Blvd. #26 Ashland, OR 97520 Please make your check out to: Senior All Night For more information email: ashlandseniorallnight2024@gmail.com Text/Call Lindsey Negra: (503) 734-9406 THIS IS A PARENT ORGANIZED AND SPONSORED EVENT

GRIZZ SPORTS Boys Basketball Tuesday vs Eagle Point. JV 4:00. JV2 5:30. V 7:00 friday vs No Eugene, JV 4:00. JV2 5:30. V 7:00 Senior Night Girls Basketball Tuesday @ Eagle Point. V 7:00 Friday vs no Eugene. V 5:30 Wrestling Ⓒ Saturday 5A MWL District Meet @ Crater, 9:30 am Swim Fri & Sat @ Tualatin Hills for 5A State Meet

Congratulations to some of our student athletes that have been selected to All-State teams for their sports: Football: Kaden Gardner-2nd Team All-State Linebacker Caden Negra- Honorable Mention All-State Wide Receiver Jacob Ortega-Honorable Mention All-State Punter Boys Soccer: Cash Cota-1st Team All-State Team Lupin Paz-2nd Team All-State Team Mateo Moore-2nd Team All-State Goal Keeper Congratulations once again! We also have some acknowledgements for our Theater students. This past weekend, Ashland Thespians participated in the Regional Acting Competition at North Salem High School. We had 15 students compete in total and we had 5 regional finalists in 2 events. Alison Avery, Sofia DiMaggio and Celia Lang all were regional finalists in solo acting, and Celia Lang and Cora Turner were regional finalists in duo comedic acting. If you see any of these students, be sure to congratulate them for a job well done.

AHS Annual Blood Drive is this Wednesday, Feb 14 from 9:30 to 2:30 in the Upper Commons. Must be 16 years of age or older to donate. 16 yer oods need signed permission form, available in the front office.

Attention: Please look to your email regarding a message about our athletic trainer

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join AHS in celebrating and appreciating our School Counselors, Graduation Coaches, Career and College Specialist and Counseling Office Manager/Scholarship Coordinator this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our youth’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Karyn Barats: AHS Counseling Department Office Manager and Scholarship Coordinator This is Karyn’s 12th year at AHS in the Counseling Department. Karyn greets students, makes appointments for them, prints unofficial transcripts, and coordinates all scholarship paperwork and the Scholarship Awards Night in May. Karyn also answers hundreds of questions about all sorts of counseling related topics and supervises the student TAs each period. Her warmth, humor and generosity are so appreciated! Outside of work, Karyn enjoys time with both immediate and extended family. She is especially proud of her two, AHS grad daughters, one an elementary teacher and one completing her degree in diagnostic medical sonography.

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join AHS in celebrating and appreciating our School Counselors, Graduation Coaches, Career and College Specialist and Counseling Office Manager/Scholarship Coordinator this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our youth’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Jen Marsden: College and Career Specialist, ASPIRE Program Coordinator Jen Marsden has worked at AHS for the past 12 years. Jen is one of those unique professionals who moves at lightning speed and seems tireless, even after 12-hour days. Jen coordinates the College and Career Center (across from library entrance), schedules college visits, connects students with job and apprenticeship opportunities, offers parent informational nights, teaches CCR (12th grade Career and College Readiness) lessons about college search, financial aid, scholarships and more. Jen also coordinates the ASPIRE program, connecting students to trained volunteers to work with them 1:1 on their post high school planning. Jen is especially passionate about supporting first generation and less resourced students explore post-secondary paths, apply to programs and secure financial aid and scholarship packages. Outside of work, Jen loves to spend time with her family and friends. She is an avid hiker, loves long beachcombing walks along the Oregon coast, and is always working on a puzzle (yes, the old-fashion, table-top, thousands of pieces puzzles!).

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join AHS in celebrating and appreciating our School Counselors, Graduation Coaches, Career and College Specialist and Counseling Office Manager/Scholarship Coordinator this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our youth’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Gil Roman: Graduation Coach, 9-12, LOP-Z Gil also joined AHS this past September. He has worked as a Graduation Coach for five years (he worked previously in Eagle Point) and has worked in youth outreach for over 15 years. He has coached sports, facilitated life skills, mentored, and worked in youth corrections. Gil approaches his work with youth through “love, support, advocating and acknowledgement”. Gil believes his experience growing up in a “a survival mode environment and a low-income family” helps him empathize and connect with students who are struggling with hardship and barriers. Gil also took on the role of Asst. Football Coach this year. His stepson played for the Grizzlies a number of years ago and Gil now loves taking part in the Grizz traditions. Gill shares “It is one of the best ways to teach, coach, mentor student athletes and to give back to the community”. Outside of work, Gil cherishes this town of Ashland because he gets to live his best life here. “I get to be around my daughter and my partner and be involved with them as I wanted my father to be. I feel safe and it brings the good out in me. I enjoy working out at the YMCA, where I get to see some of the AHS students. I feel like I belong in this town, and I can contribute to giving back”.

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join AHS in celebrating and appreciating our School Counselors, Graduation Coaches, Career and College Specialist and Counseling Office Manager/Scholarship Coordinator this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our youth’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Ashley Caughell: Graduation Coach, 9-12, A-LON Ashley joined AHS as a Graduation Coach in September. Ashley keeps track of students who are struggling with their grades and/or credits. After connecting with students and teachers, Ashley reaches out to parents and coordinates collaboratives plans to remove barriers and support student success toward on-track graduation. After 5 months in this position, Ashley shares that she most enjoys getting to know students interests and motivations, teaming with the rest of her department. She also appreciates that every day is different and sees challenges as an opportunity for creative problem-solving. Outside of her workday, Ashley loves spending time with her family. She has two boys, ages 6 and 4 and is currently expecting her third boy at the end of May. She shares “They keep my husband and me very busy! “

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join AHS in celebrating and appreciating our School Counselors, Graduation Coaches, Career and College Specialist and Counseling Office Manager/Scholarship Coordinator this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our youth’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Michelle Bolinger: 9th Grade Counselor, A-Z (2.5 days/week) Michelle joined the AHS Team as a half-time school counselor last week. This is Michelle’s 9thth year as a CDS at Bellview. She was also a CDS at TRAILS for three years. Michelle’s passion for her work and infectious laughter motivate and inspire many in her district team. She is a talented problem-solver, idea generator and avid learner. AHS is thrilled to add her to their team! You can find Michelle at AHS in her new office down the hallway from the main counseling office. Please ask Karyn Barats, our office manager, for directions if you need help finding Michelle. Outside of work, Michelle is a “serious animal lover” and shares that “kids and dogs are my people”. She loves plants, gardening and traveling. She also considers music her “soul language” having grown up surrounded by talented musicians. She still adheres to a mantra she developed as a five-year-old, “to help others and see as much of the world as possible”.

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join AHS in celebrating and appreciating our School Counselors, Graduation Coaches, Career and College Specialist and Counseling Office Manager/Scholarship Coordinator this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our youth’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Robert Joe: School Counselor LOP-Z, 10th-12th This is Robert’s second year at AHS. He grew up as a “3rd Culture” student, attending schools in Hawaii, Singapore, and Iceland while his parents worked for the Navy. He fell in love with the Rogue Valley when he became an undergraduate student at SOU and is now thrilled to call it home. Robert brings an important perspective and passion to the department as a first generation, BIPOC counselor. His insights, suggestions and actions are invaluable to the department’s vision and growth. Robert also coordinates the BSU (Black Student Union) on campus. Outside of work, Robert loves spending time with his wonderful wife and two young sons. He is an accomplished grill master, a retired video game champion and an avid traveler.

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join AHS in celebrating and appreciating our School Counselors, Graduation Coaches, Career and College Specialist and Counseling Office Manager/Scholarship Coordinator this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our youth’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Alec Slinkard: School Counselor A-LON, 10th-12th This is Alec’s third year at AHS. He grew up in the valley and brings extensive knowledge of local resources and support systems throughout our region. Alec’s energy, compassion and sense of humor are contagious and uplifting to those around him. He works hard to help his students see themselves from the positive, strength-filled perspective that he sees them. Alec is also the AHS Wrestling Coach and is looking forward to continuing to grow the program in the years to come. Outside of work, Alec spends time with an extensive, blended family, enjoys a wide range of music, coaches wrestling year-round, golfs and draws.