Welcome Back & Welcome New People!
I hope you have had an amazing summer full of family and fun. We have certainly missed you!
As we look at the new year, I know that many of us are excited to get back to a “normal” year. However, we still have some restrictions that we are working with. That being said, we are committed to delivering the best possible experience for you and your child. More on this as we get closer to starting our new year, which will officially begin on Wednesday, September 7.
We know you’re probably thinking about the school year and wanted to start giving you information so you can plan ahead. Attached you will find our 2022-2023 Academic Calendar, which can also always be found on our website: a3school.org.
Online Registration
Springfield Public Schools has opened online registration for all new students. If you are a returning student you will not need to take this step. If you are/have a new student and haven’t already done this, please go to: https://www.springfield.k12.or.us/Page/3312. Make sure you have about 30 minutes to complete the process. Note: be sure to click “approved transfer for A3.” If you need personal assistance navigating the registration process please contact Tiffany King at tiffany.king@springfield.k12.or.us. Tiffany will be available for questions beginning the week of August 15.
These are our dates/activities coming up (subject to change):
A3 Kick Off Orientation for ALL students on September 1, 2022
Either come between: 9-12 AM or 1-4 PM. We will have:
- SPED/504 rooms
- Counseling services
- Medication intake
- Technology distribution for new students
- Pay supply fee of $75
- Registration /forecasting with Tiffany “Tiki” (our registrar) for students who have not yet completed this.
- If you are a returning student and have changed your address or telephone number over the summer you will need to give your new information to Tiffany “Tiki”. Tiki will be available to help with this during this orientation.
Sept. 6: NEW Students’ Nuts & Bolts 12:30-1:30
“Nuts n bolts” session new students with Maintenance Crew and Wilson/Emerald
- Tours
- Last minute released students will need to register w/Tiffany
- Meet Advisory teacher (if opportunity permits)
- How to’s:
- Bikes / Skateboards
- Campus Boundaries
- Food
- Glossary
- Door Access
Note: New Students get Mentors assigned by their advisory teacher (first week of school.)
We hope to have schedules pushed out this day in Synergy.
First Day of School
The first day of the 22-23 school year is Wednesday, September 7th. Our regular school day is 8:25-4:15. This will be a stretch for students who aren’t used to longer school days. Try to get reacclimated to early rising before the first day of school!
Annual Calendar
Check out two tabs on our website a3school.org: “2022-23 Academic Calendar” and “Events Calendar.” We will update these during the year as necessary. In addition, we typically have a weekly electronic newsletter with information about what is happening during the week. If technology is not your thing, we also have the student handbook/planner for your review. However, note that the calendar in the handbook is subject to change.
Daily Schedule
Our daily bell schedule can be found at a3school.org
Late Start Fridays
On our calendar you can find our late start Fridays. On those days, students will have the same classes for a shorter time. Late Start Fridays will be posted in the school calendar, the student handbook, and the newsletter. We do our best to communicate late starts, but it is ultimately the responsibility of students to pay attention to our schedule. NOTE: A3 has a different schedule and calendar than the rest of Springfield Public Schools. Please stay current with our calendar on our website.
Headwaters
We will be holding Headwaters this year on our campus on Thursday, September 8th and Friday the 9th. The goal for these activities are to help create community, acclimate new students, and reconnect with students and staff. We will cover the Habits of Mind and complete a community art project this year. The schedule for Headwaters is 8:25-3:00. This is a shorter day than usual and this rarely happens. Any time students will be released early we will give you prior notice to the extent possible.
Career Technical Education (CTE)
A3 implemented two CTE pathways focused in the arts: The Visual and Media Arts Pathway and The Performing Arts Pathway. These pathways prepare students for careers in the arts with emphasis on college and career skills such as technology, collaboration and communication. CTE programs are nationally recognized by colleges and industry. Participating in CTE is a great way to explore career interests while strengthening academic and technical skills plus it means additional financial resources for A3.
Meals
Both breakfast and lunch are served at A3 Extension building. Breakfast and lunch are free for all students during the 22-23 school year.
Family Art Nights on the Second Friday Art Walks
We are pleased to announce that A3 will continue to be involved in the Downtown Springfield Second Friday Art Walks via our Family Art Nights. This is a great opportunity to showcase student/staff art and to socialize with other A3 students, staff and parents. This also involves free art classes in many cool genres. Look for our awesome flyers and also the weekly newsletter for more info. We will be starting in September but will not be holding a Family Art Night in November.
Clubs
We will list our clubs and meeting times on our online events calendar and in the weekly newsletter. We also have them showcased on our 2nd day at Headwaters (September 9th). If you are interested in starting a new club, please connect with Cody and Ame. You will want to have a staff advisor lined up for your club.
Internships
In order to prepare students for their career and college aspirations, internship opportunities occur twice a year during J-term (January) and May-term (May/June). There will be a maximum of 30 internships each term, for a total of 60 per year. Hope Shepherd is your internship coordinator.
Requirements for participating in an internship this year:
- Students may be in any grade but must be on track to graduate
- Students must maintain 95% attendance rate
Student IDs
We plan on taking pictures of students early in the year for their IDs. More on this when we have selected a picture date.
Supplies and Fees
We ask that all students pay a $75 general supply fee. What you get from this is most general supplies. Please plan on showing up with a backpack (we have no lockers), your computer fully charged (bring cord just in case), pens/pencils/paper and we will supply the rest. There may be some classes that have an extra fee attached (such as College classes)-please refer to the course catalog for more information. If this fee creates a financial issue for your family, please connect with us and we will support you.
Extra help
If you need extra help on your assignments please reach out to the teacher directly to arrange a time to get help via email. Our staff is greatly invested in your success.
VOMP
We ask all students and staff to use the VOMP method to resolve conflicts. VOMP stands for: Vent, Ownership, Mirror, and Plan. All students are taught this method. If a student has a conflict with another student, we try to facilitate a resolution. We ask that if students have a complaint about a staff member, to first try to resolve the issue with the staff member. If parents need to be involved, we ask that parents try to resolve the situation with teachers first. If things are not resolved at that level, both Andy Hock (our Dean of Students) and I are available to help work to facilitate solutions. We engage in the restorative justice model at A3 and believe in overtly teaching conflict resolution skills.
Conclusion
As always, pick up the phone and give me a call, send me an email if you have any questions or concerns. I hope you have always found me to be responsive. If you don’t hear from me within 24 hours during the school week, feel free to ask the front office for assistance. Our staff strives to serve your family and make A3 not just a school but a great place to be!
Best,
Ame Beard, A3 Principal
ame.beard@springfield.k12.or.us
Office: 541.744.6728
Personal Cell: 541.870.1622
