Weekly Blast 01.09.26
January 12, 2026 -
CONTENTS
A NOTE FROM THE HEADMASTER
HIGH SCHOOL SPECIFICS
MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIFICS
ATHLETICS
COLLEGE COUNSELING
FAMILY GIVING
DATES TO NOTE
JAN 19 MLK/CIVIL RIGHTS DAY- NO SCHOOL
JAN 22 WINTER SPORTS ASSEMBLY
JAN 23 HOOPCOMING BASKETBALL GAMES
JAN 24 HIGH SCHOOL WINTER FORMAL
JAN 31 MS GRIFFIN PLAYERS PERFORMANCES
A NOTE FROM THE HEADMASTER
Dear Glendale Prep Families,
It is my hope that your winter break was full of time with family, celebration, and rest. It was my greatest joy to greet students back to school at the courtyard gate Wednesday morning as we returned for the second half of the school year.
Kicking off the new semester with new schedules is also a great opportunity to reset habits as students prepare to complete their nightly homework. As you may know, here at Glendale Prep, we view homework not as busywork, but as a purposeful extension of mind beyond the classroom, tied to the cultivation and the pursuit of wisdom. Its importance rests on several interrelated ideas: the formation of habits and virtue, deepening one’s contemplation of truth, preparation for the Socratic classroom, cultivating intellectual independence, among others.
While all of this remains true, we also believe homework should deepen learning without overwhelming family life. Thoughtfully assigned work, such as nightly reading in literature, regular problem practice in math, or vocabulary and translation in language study, helps students build the habits of attention, memory, and precision that learning requires. This work is then reviewed, corrected, and used by teachers to guide future instruction.
If your child is consistently spending more than the allotted time on homework, we encourage families to begin by removing common barriers at home such as television, phones, or other distractions, and then by carefully noting how long the work is taking once those distractions are removed. If concerns persist, please reach out to the specific teacher with this information. Our teachers are eager to partner with you and your child to identify challenges, work through barriers, and provide appropriate support.
Our goal is that homework reinforces virtue, supports intellectual growth, and strengthens, not competes with, the life of the home.
With gratitude,
Mrs. Janssen
HIGH SCHOOL
WINTER FORMAL DANCE
WHO: All Current GP High School Students. GP Students may bring outside guests from neighboring high schools but must fully complete guest registration forms.
What: “Winter Wonderland” Glendale Prep’s High School Winter Formal
When: January 24, 2026. 6:30- 9:00 pm (Doors open at 6 pm / no admission after 6:30 p.m.)
Cost: $25 on or before January 21st. Tickets are payable in advance only (not at the door) and are non-refundable.
DRESS: Dress Code is formal. Black tie optional. Guidelines are included on the required Student Registration/Permission Form
TICKET PURCHASE
10th Grade Field Trip
10th Grade Students will head downtown to the Herberger Theatre to attend a performance of The Diary of Anne Frank on Friday, January 30.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
6th Grade Students
Please ensure you have your copy of Land of Hope Volume 2 for US History beginning Tuesday, January 20.
6th Grade Students
Please ensure you have a non-pre-annotated copy of Anne of Green Gables for Literature and Composition.
SEMESTER 1 GRADES & NARRATIVE EVALUATIONS
Quarter 2 & Semester 1 Grades as well as Written Evaluations will be open for viewing and printing in PowerSchool until Friday, January 16. A detailed email will be sent to parents and families this afternoon (4PM) with access information.
SEMESTER 2 ENRICHMENT COURSES
Families may view and sign up for S2 Enrichment Courses on the HP Payment Portal. Returning students must re-register for the new semester, and new students are welcome!
ATHLETICS
January
The month of January is full home sporting events. Game schedules, both middle school and high school, are available on our athletics website (greatheartsglendaleathletics.org).
Upcoming home high school games:
• 1/10 home basketball beginning at 1:00 PM
• 1/14 home girls varsity soccer 4:00 PM
• 1/15 home basketball beginning at 2:30 PM
• 1/16 home boys and girls soccer (5:00 PM and 7:00 PM
•
Winter Game Schedules
All winter game schedules (high school and middle school) are available to view on our athletics website. There are also links to fan gear, pictures, volunteer opportunities, and announcements.
COLLEGE COUNSELING
Last Week to Sign Up for the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) Test
We will be offering the ASVAB test on Wednesday, January 28th at 12:30 pm. This is an optional test and will in no way obligate a student to join the military. It is a multiple-choice aptitude test that is used by the U.S. military to determine enlistment eligibility and to identify the best job training for recruits; however, many choose to use this as a guide to identify careers that they have an aptitude for. If you are interested in having your student participate, please sign up by January 16th using this link.
University of Arizona Rep Visit on Thursday, January 22nd
We will be hosting our rep from the University of Arizona. She will be available during first lyceum for all seniors to get answers to any admissions or scholarship questions they have. During second lyceum she will do a presentation for freshman, sophomores, and juniors who are interested in learning more about the University of Arizona. Please remind your children to stop by Room 706/707.
How to Beat the High Cost of College
The HEFAR Group, a non-profit company with Certified College Planning Specialists, helps to make college affordable for families of college bound students by helping families qualify for more financial aid. They do college planning specifically geared toward lowering the family’s out of pocket expense and increasing eligibility for financial aid; additionally, they create a strategy to pay for the reduced out of pocket expense so paying for college is not such a heavy burden! They will host a virtual workshop on:
Thursday, January 29th
6:30-7:30 PM
RSVP: Great Hearts – How to Beat the High Cost of College Survey
Join in learning what you have to do right now to make sure you get every penny of FREE MONEY available to you for your child’s college education.
Scholarship for Seniors Who Complete the FAFSA
Mrs. Sarbacker wants to share an exciting new opportunity from College Ready AZ! Arizona high school seniors who complete the 2026-27 FAFSA and submit a short scholarship application are eligible to be considered for a one-time $2,000 scholarship. This award can be used at any Arizona public university (ASU, NAU, U of A).
Students will be selected on a monthly basis between December 2025 and May 2026, with 25 total scholarships awarded throughout the cycle. There are no Student Aid Index (SAI) requirements. All seniors who complete the FAFSA are eligible to apply. Please see the attached flyer and contact Mrs. Sarbacker at ksarbacker@glendaleprep.org if you have any questions.
Free ACT Practice Test
Revolution Prep will be offering free ACT practice tests on January 10th and March 7th. For more information and sign up instructions, please use this link.
FAMILY GIVING
Exploring Newton’s First Law of Motion with Mr. Roper!
Welcome back, and Happy New Year! We hope you and your family enjoyed a joyful and refreshing winter break.
Our classrooms jumped right back into action this week, especially in Mr. Roper’s 11th grade physics class! Students explored the dynamic relationship between force and motion through hands-on experiments using bowling balls and hammers. By creating and observing a variety of motions, students discovered key patterns that bring Newton’s First Law of Motion to life. Engaging, real-world learning experiences like these, driven by the enthusiasm and dedication of our teachers, are a hallmark of our rich academic program.
If you are interested in supporting our exceptional teachers and students through a charitable gift, please contact Tammy Kempton, Family Giving Officer, at tkempton@glendaleprep.org. Every dollar stays right here at Glendale Prep. Thank you for your continued partnership and support!
Warm regards,
Tammy Kempton
DONATE
CONTACT INFORMATION
Jenny Haley, Office Manager
JHaley@glendaleprep.org
GLENDALE PREP ATTENDANCE
623.889.0822
Option 4
attendance@glendaleprep.org
