American Heritage News

Dear Parents

February was a short month, but it seems that a lot happened here at the school. The students and teachers are working hard as they move through their curriculum. Along with the many individual classroom activities we were able to accomplish what maybe our major performance of the year, that being the Patriotic Program. The students and teachers worked very hard to prepare each of the parts that they would perform. We tried to upgrade the sound and the lights in order to make the performance enjoyable for all, not only for those who are able to sit close. And we made improvements with the scenery. I hope that we succeeded in our desires to make the program an enjoyable experience for you.

Thank you to the parents who helped in the many different areas of preparation. Your hours of service helped us to have what we believe to be our best Patriotic Program thus far. We are always trying to improve on the work that is done here at the school, including the programs we present, and with your help we will.

If you are planning to return to American Heritage School next year, you should have next year's application turned into Mrs. Clark in the office. We have begun the process of open enrollment and so it is important, if you wish to maintain priority seating, that your application be turned in immediately.

Please help your children stay caught up with their schoolwork. The quarter is progressing quickly, and those children who stay on top of their work increase their chances of success, and develop the habits of learning that will bless them throughout their lives.

Thank you for taking part in the American Heritage School experience.

Mr. Roberts

Parent /Teacher Conferences and Book Fair--March 23rd & 24 th

It's that time of year again! Sign-up sheets will be placed in the outer front foyer on Monday, March 7th. Please sign up for your child's core teacher, as well as any specialty class that you wish. The teachers will be setting their schedules between 3:30-8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23rd and Thursday, March 24th. We look forward to meeting with you and visiting with you about your children. While you are waiting for your appointments, be sure to browse the book fair in the library. Hours are Tues 22nd Noon- 3:30pm, 23rd &24th 8am-8pm

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American Heritage School--Science Fair!!

Dear Parents,

Be sure to attend our wonderful science fair, the exhibit will be open during Parent Teacher Conferences.

All projects are to be brought to the Recreation Hall on March 23 rd @ 8:15am and taken home on the evening of March 24 th by 8:00pm.

Participation is as follows:

Kinder-5 th grades: A science project is not required, but strongly encouraged.

6 th -8 th grades: All students are required to participate. Please follow the Scientific Method. Further information will be given in class.

Have fun, work hard, and enjoy the Science Fair.

Service Hours Page

We are thankful for the service hours that many of you have fulfilled. We want you to feel acknowledged for the work you have done to help our school be great! Your promise makes the possibility of programs exist. We are thankful for the extra miles that you have taken to keep your commitment. Our teachers are humbled by the assistance you give them. AND, there is more to be done!

We have some more opportunities to fulfill your commitment:

Costume Repairs: cleaning and repairing costumes, this can be done at home at your convenience--if you sew we could use some new additional Patriotic program and Shakespearean costumes. Contact Mrs. Christensen

Teacher assistance: assisting teachers with corrections, inputting grades, straightening classrooms, books etc.

Library: Classifying books, shelving, repairing and cataloguing our books--

Shakespeare Week: There are still some possibilities to serve during Shakespeare week--contact Bonnie McMillan

Campus Spring cleaning day: This is a great day to fulfill your hours with the whole family--8 years and older--Saturday May 14th 9:00 a.m. to 12:00--spring cleaning the school, deep cleaning, yard spruce-ups etc. Contact Mr. Roberts.

If you have not been able to fulfill your service hours, please contact Mrs. Bonnie McMillan @ 756-0959. She has many more ideas for you---

Thank you!

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For those students who are participating in the Utah Children's Choir Festival, the schedule is as follows,

Choir rehearsals at American Heritage-Auditorium :

Wednesday, March 2 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Monday, March 7 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 9 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Monday, March 14 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 16 3:00-4:00 p.m.

*If you are unable to make three of the five rehearsals, special permission is needed to attend the festival. Please let Mr. Hunsaker know as soon as possible so special arrangements can be worked out.

Dress for the festival is as follows:

Friday: Girls: Red uniform blouse and uniform Skort, Boys: Red uniform shirt and Navy Blue pants.

Saturday: Same as Friday, with Friday dress uniform for the concert.

Concert dress:

Girls: Friday dress uniform with dark dress shoes and dark tights or nylons.

Boys: Friday dress uniform with white Sunday dress shirt and tie, dark dress shoes and dark socks.

The schedule for the Festival is as follows :

Friday, March 18 th 2005

4:30 p.m. Students arrive, check in with Mr. Hunsaker and get seated in the Timberline Auditorium, Timberline Middle School, Alpine, Utah - exact location and directions to the school will be provided later.

5:00 p.m. Introductions and Rehearsal with Guest Conductor, Mrs. Kathy Jolley

6:15 p.m. Break for dinner - Students are to bring their own dinner and eat in the cafeteria at

the school

7:15 p.m. Rehearsal - combined pieces with Mrs. Kathy Jolley

8:45 p.m. Dismiss. (Parents are to pick up children where they dropped them, off at this time.)

Saturday, March 19 th , 2005

8:45 a.m. Arrive at the school and check in with Mr. Hunsaker. Put coats etc. in home room.

9:00 a.m. American Heritage School Choir Clinic with Mrs. Jolley

9:30 a.m. Rehearsal - Combined pieces with Mrs. Jolley

10:45 a.m. Snack Break (snack provided)

11:00 a.m. Rehearsal - Combined pieces with Mrs. Jolley

12:00 noon Lunch break - All students will be provided with a box lunch and eat in the school cafeteria.

1:30 p.m. Practice on and off stage and run through combined pieces on stage

2:50 p.m. American Heritage School Choir - Practice on stage

3:30 p.m. Snack Break (snack provided)

4:00 p.m. Dress for concert. (Girls: Friday Dress uniform. Boys: Friday dress uniform with White Sunday Shirt and tie.)

4:30 p.m. In your seats for the concert

5:00 p.m. Concert

6:30 p.m. Concert over - Goodbyes and happy memories Be sure to check out with Mr. Hunsaker and get all of your personal belongings.

7:00 p.m. All Choirs must be out of the School

Parents will be responsible to pick up students after all rehearsals at American Heritage. Parents will also be responsible to drop off children at Timberline Middle School on Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19, and see that they are picked up after the concert that evening. A list of other students involved will be provided to arrange car pools.

*Note : Parent Chaperones are needed for both Friday, March 18 th , and Saturday March 19 th . If you would like to be a chaperone, please contact Mr. Hunsaker at [email protected] or 642-0055 ext. 323.

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Dr. Brent Barlow to speak in American Fork

Topic: Why Marriage Matters

Date: Friday, March 4th

Time: 7:30-9:00 pm

Location: American Heritage School & Family Education Center

736 N. 1100 E. American Fork

(Located directly east of Mt. Timpanogos Temple

Information: Email [email protected] or call 642-0055 ex.503

Dr. Barlow currently teaches in the School of Family Life at BYU and is the author of six marriage books including �What Husbands Expect of Wives�, �What Wives Expect of Husbands�, Twelve Traps in Today's Marriage and How to Avoid Them� and �Just for Newlyweds�. Lectures are free and open to the public.

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Dear Parents,

On Monday, April 4th through Friday, the 8 th your child will be taking the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. These standardized achievement tests are taken by children all over the nation. The main purposes of the ITBS are to provide the school with information that can be used to improve instruction and to help teachers make sound educational decisions about each student's learning. The scores allow teachers to check each student's year-to-year growth and to identify each child's strongest and weakest areas of achievement.

Children should be encouraged to do their best on the ITBS, as they should for all their school activities. However, it would be harmful to place too much emphasis on the importance of the tests, to make students feel anxious or stressful about the outcomes. By maintaining a typical schedule and atmosphere at home during the days of testing, you can help your child have a positive testing experience.

The results from the ITBS will not be used to grade students. However, teachers and administrators of American Heritage School will use the results to monitor students' learning of many of the important skills taught in school. Scores like the ITBS cannot replace a teacher's observations and judgment, but they can provide useful supplementary information for the teacher, the parent, and the student.

It is important that your student be here on time, and that they are not absent during the week. It is very difficult to make up the test, especially the lower grades. We have found that if students eat a good breakfast and bring a little snack for the morning, this helps them to get through the tests more easily. A night of restful sleep will make a big difference every day of school, but during testing week especially! Thank you for your support. If you have any questions, please direct them to Mrs. Christensen (801) 642-0055 Ext. 304

Thank you,

The Administration