This year in middle school PE, students learned about the importance of physical fitness, health, and wellness, and physical activity. Students learned that the benefits of a healthy lifestyle are looking good, feeling good, enjoying life’s activities and being able to meet emergencies. To help students understand how these concepts work together, they...
Elementary Move- Up Day
Our elementary K-2 classes participated in a Move- Up Day. What is that exactly? It is an opportunity for each class to see what their new teacher and classroom will be like. Today, Thursday, May 9, elementary students moved up to experience their new teacher or teachers. This opportunity gives everyone, students and teachers, a chance...
Water Conservation Project
Students learned about water conservation, the water cycle and had fun exploring the states of water. The third through fifth graders developed real life solutions for helping their families conserve water, educate them on the importance of water conservation and maybe even save them some money.
Here is a list of ways the students...
I would like to thank the parents of the students of the Class of 2019. You have raised children who are on their way to be leaders in their chosen career field. While I understand that they are still children, their behavior has been like nothing I have ever seen before in a class of such diversity. Since the first day they have been respectful, focused and...
1st Grade
Students in first grade are reaching their reading goals using LEXIA Core 5 Reading. LEXIA is a web based program that provides personalized learning in the areas of reading instruction explained below.
1)Phonics – a method for teaching word identification strategies based on the relationship between letters and sounds.
2)Automaticity &...
The school store was started in 2011 with a grant. The Legion has also given us money along the way. Mr. Tiedeman re-purposed the cabinet and put in shelves. It is on wheels so we can move it out in the hall for events like graduations and school dances. The store is open on Tuesday and Thursdays. Student sign up to help and learn customer service and how to...
Work Ethic By Mr. Holladay
Recently Ash Fork Elementary Schools has become one of six Arizona schools to be nominated this year to be nationally recognized as a Blue Ribbon school. After thinking long and hard about what makes our school special, I came to the conclusion that though we do excel at many best practices and...
Springtime is knocking in Northern Arizona, and that can only mean one thing, wind, rain, snow, and softball. And, while we certainly have seen a lot of rain this spring, that hasn’t deterred the Lady Spartans softball team. This year there are fifteen ladies on our softball team. We have seven returning players on the team: senior Andrea Tellez, senior Celeste...
The High School Physics students work in groups to create the Periodic Table of the Elements in class using cards that they completed as homework. This is meant as a review of the Periodic Table and a direct illustration of how Dmitri Mendeleev first organized the elements like cards in a game of solitaire using chemical properties ad trends as guides.
Get Ready for the AZMerit Writing Test!
In the coming weeks, Ash Fork students will be preparing for the AZMerit Writing Test. Students will take the test during the week of April 8th.
Students’ essay scores will be combined with their AZMerit Reading Test Scores to calculate their overall score on the AZMerit English Language Arts Test.
On the...
Limiting Screen Time
We have electronic devices that contain a world of information and distraction. Due to this fairly new level of access to media devices we are still learning to curb and even understand its effects on our society and learning.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests limiting screen time for children 2 and up to 1-2...
The High School Physics class takes part in a summative unit project to show off what they have learned. The project itself is to build a “catapult” to support and highlight the physics “behind” the catapult, specifically, forces, energy, and projectile motion. The rationale is to make the physics more project-based by being more hands on which has been proven to...
Last semester cadets were given the opportunity to speak with Lieutenant Colonel Philip Laing who served as the Commanding Officer for the 3rd Division Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in the United States Marine Corps. While Lieutenant Colonel Laing has a lengthy list of beyond noteworthy and honorable achievements, he remained humble and stellar as he took time...
Middle School Q3 Team Building by Erika Acosta 2/26/2019
We kicked off quarter 3 this year with a field trip to Flagstaff. Students loaded the bus right after lunch and we headed straight for Buffalo Park. Many of the students had never been to this area of Flagstaff. The trails were slippery, snowy and muddy making the walk even more enjoyable. The trails...
Multiplication Fact Mastery is the single most important math skill that you can teach your child. It is the foundation to the majority of the higher order thinking math skills grades 2nd- 12th. Many of us want to help our children succeed in math class, but don’t feel we have the tools to do it. Common Core standards can be overwhelming and sometimes confusing to...
The 3rd-5th grade classes had a special guest come from the Western Yavapai Conservation Education Center. The third and fourth grades learned about cattle ranching, and 5th grade learned about cattle byproducts.
Students were surprised to learn that items such as marshmallows, lipstick, asphalt, gummy bears, allergy medicine, and crayons were all byproducts...
Yavapai county offers grants every year to school in the county. This year I applied for money for an aquarium for our room. We had a small aquarium and wanted to expand. We found that it was very relaxing for children that were stressed. It also gave us teaching opportunities to learn more about aquatic habitats. Children that are reluctant to do their work...
In grade 3-5 we are excited to be using a new program called Lexia® Core5® Reading. It is a fun computer-based program that has helped millions of students. The activities in Core5 support and build on our classroom curriculum and focus on developing reading skills in six areas: phonological awareness, phonics, structural analysis, fluency, vocabulary, and...
20 Students Completed Yavapai College Classes This Semester
Ash Fork High School had a successful semester continuing our Associate of Arts Program and Concurrent Enrollment Program. The Associates Program allows highly prepared, teacher-recommended freshmen to begin taking classes through Yavapai College and graduate from Ash Fork High School with both a...
I think it would be safe to say all parents want their children to be successful in school. One of the most important skills I teach in first grade is reading. A child’s ability to read affects all areas of their learning from kindergarten through college. It is an important life skill. Below I have listed some tips on how to help your child become a...
As the year 2018 winds down, many of us look toward 2019 filled with hope and expectation. We look forward to the chance of starting fresh, and many of us will make New Year’s resolutions. Myself included. The coming of the new year encourages us to evaluate our needs and wants and set goals. Throughout the first semester, I have been working on two goals. My...
Hello Everyone,
You can “officially“ purchase our 2018 yearbook! Our complete-year edition books were delayed. This is what’s new:
There are 2 book covers to choose from. Each book has the same content inside.
One design was voted for by Kindergarten through 8th grades, and the other cover design was chosen by the 2018 Graduates!
Please see...
Pumpkin Patch at Mortimer Farms
In October Kindergarten through 2nd grade had the opportunity to attend the pumpkin patch at Mortimer Farms. The week before they attended, they also had a presentation from Agriculture in the Classroom. Our presenter, Cassandra Manifee, explained the Pumpkin Life Cycle with a nonfiction rhyming book and a pumpkin life cycle...
All for Maxine Howington.
On December 4th , 2018 we surprised our school nurse (head chief) Max! It has been the longest year to hold onto this big secret. We dedicated our 2018 yearbook to her. Our school administrators, staff, and her family were the key elements involved in helping us bring this together for her. All the details had to be slightly delayed to...
Middle School Team Building
On Thursday, October 18th, the Ash Fork middle school students were a little more excited about school than usual. This was not because it was a half day but because this day was team building. It has been part of the culture at Ash Fork School to take at least one day out of each quarter where students can connect in a different...
October 31st 2018
High School English students were introduced to literary text through the use of analyzing Edgar Allan Poe poems. Teams were assigned different POEms to annotate literary elements and then tasked to decorate cupcakes to best exemplify those elements. Students in every class period brought their interpretations of their poem to life...
Here at Ash Fork Schools we are fortunate to have many great employees and volunteers. I would like to dedicate this article to an employee who has been at the district longer than anyone else. The employee I’m talking about is Mrs. Di Rudnick.
I had the opportunity to interview Mrs. Rudnick and I think you’ll enjoy her responses.
1. What brought you to Ash...
Spartan Welding
Ash fork welding students are getting ready for the Skills USA competition later this year. They are also training and practicing for their AWS welding certification test. In addition to mastering welding standards, students hone their skills by performing real world tasks.
In September kindergarten celebrated Grandparent's Day. Ms. Maria has been a grandparent Volunteer in kindergarten for the last 7 years. Thank you for all your help and hugs!
Positive school culture thrives with Spartan Time! After two full years of the program our elementary has seen significant growth in student motivation, academic performance, character building and a drop in disciplinary issues. Each week, third through fifth graders are rewarded for demonstrating exceptional work ethic and character in and outside the classroom....
Dear Middle School ELA Families,
It is hard to believe that second quarter is already here. During the first quarter, middle school ELA students worked on the standards related to strand one-main ideas and details. Strand one reading standards asked students to look closely at the text and read for understanding. Throughout the second quarter, students will be...
Ash Fork school has been a member of the 100 Mile Club since 2003. We walk laps before school and have walkathons several times a year. The students have punch cards to record their laps. When they have walked 25 miles they earn a gift card and a T-shirt. We have had a number of students walk 25+ miles each year. I would like to challenge our students to walk...
OdySea Aquarium Field TripThe 3rd-5th grade went on a field trip to Odysea aquarium in Scottsdale. Student learned about aquatic life through interactive exhibits. They had the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and touch Russian Sturgeon, Stingray sea stars, pelagic rays, benthic rays, and sea anemones. In addition, students also watched 10-minute...
Kindergarten and 1st Grade hosted their first “Family Fun Night” of the year! Students, parents and teachers had a blast! Students decorated folders with fabric, puff paint and sequences. Students also decorated book marks with stickers, paints and sequences while munching on cookies and pizza! We are all looking forward to the next one!
Twenty Minutes a Day
Reading is an everyday and 21st century necessary skill. Reading happens every day. Everywhere you look you will see print. Signs, menus, food containers, articles and, yes, even social media feeds. However, students need to read books and articles critically and with good comprehension. With a 20 minute a day mantra starting at an...
New Textbooks Build Rigor for Honors World History Students
By Al Wood
Last month, the Ash Fork JUSD Governing Board approved the purchase of a new textbook for my honors world history class. This completes my goal of having a set of AP-approved, high-rigor textbooks for my college-prep students to use in each of my high school honors social studies...
Ash Fork Cadet Core
LISTEN UP! Ash Fork High School has a new leadership development program! The Cadet Core program is open to all High School students who are open to accept the challenge to take on a program that instills discipline and expects excellence. The mission is to assist students in becoming the best version of themselves. Emphasis is...
"Eighth grade has begun our study of DNA, heredity and genetic inheritance. You’ve probably learned or heard about DNA, but have you ever seen it? With the Strawberry DNA experiment, Eighth Grade extracted, isolated, and observed the DNA of a strawberry in a matter of minutes. It sounds impossible, but thanks to special characteristics of strawberries, it’s...
Welcome to Ash Fork Schools!
Ash Fork is a small rural community located at the junction of Interstate 40 and highway 89 in Northern Arizona. Ash Fork Schools had its first graduating class in 1929 and has been a pillar for the community ever since. Our district serves nearly 300 students and 35 staff members. We pride ourselves on giving students as many...
Sent to www.afjusd.org
Ash Fork Joint Unified School District #31 will be participating in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. As part of this program, Ash Fork Elementary, Middle, and High Schools are implementing Special Assistance Programs will offer healthy meals every school day at NO COST to the students due to the...
AFJUSD Vision Statement
All students graduate prepared for a career or college.
...
Mission Statement
Our mission, in partnership with students, home and community, is to create responsible citizens who are lifelong learners, ready to succeed in a diverse and changing world.
...
We believe that:
Children are our first priority
Children need to know that we...
Though school is officially out, Ash Fork students are staying busy and active this summer thanks to the robust Athletics Department.
The boys’ basketball team is participating in three team camps in preparation for next season. The first will be the Embry-Riddle Men’s Basketball Team Camp June 8th-9th, and the second shall be the University of California San...