Weekly Blast 02.02.24

• Feb 7 Senior Mini Retreat
• Feb 10 High School Winter Dance
• Feb 13 10th/11th Grade Field Trip to Mesa Arts Center
• Feb 14 Field Day
• Feb 19 President’s Day- No School; R&R Weekend
• Feb 29 7th Grade Field Trip to World Wildlife Zoo
• Mar 1 Middle School Epic Cycle
• Mar 4-8 Senior Trip to Washington, D.C.

• A Note from the Headmaster
• Middle School Epic Cycle: The Death of Baldr
• Students Collect Flags
• Griffin Players Presents Boy Meets Girl
• HS Winter Dance: A Night at Gatsby’s
• 2024 Great Hearts Gala
• Tax Credit
• College Counseling
• Athletics
• Hiring Event- TOMORROW!

Hello Parents,

I recently had an encounter with a parent of a player on an opposing team regarding something his son had done on the basketball court. The details are not important, but this player did something perfectly within the rules of basketball but given the context and various factors, it was unnecessary and not good. The father was frustrated with me calling out the opposing coach to correct his player; this father kept yelling from the crowd, “he is allowed to do that.” After the game, the father approached me for a conversation. I was hoping the father could see the difference between what is permissible and what is beneficial; I wanted him to not consider what is allowed but what his son ought to do.

We live in a world where we may think about freedom, liberty, and rights within a paradigm of ability vs. morality. We are free to do many things, but freedom should always be used to choose the right and seek the good.

This story makes its application in our lives as parents and educators in that I believe our children often think about what they are allowed to do and not allowed to do versus considering what is ultimately good. They may not consider how they should live. It is a subtle distinction but an important one. Our children have more freedom than they realize and can do a lot that we do not see or hear, but if we can instill in them a focus on considering “what is ultimately good,” I truly believe we will see them make the right choices.

Enjoy the slightly longer weekend,
Mr. Navarrette
Headmaster

Middle School Epic Cycle: The Death of Baldr

Join us Friday, March 1st from 7:00 to 10:00 PM, for a night of games, music, and epic storytelling! All middle school students are invited to attend. Snacks will be provided, and students are encouraged to bring their favorite board games to enjoy with friends and teachers. The highlight of our evening will be a theatrical retelling of The Death of Baldr, a beloved Norse myth.

Tickets are available on the payment portal HERE for $15 through February 23rd and $20 thereafter through 5:00 pm the day of the event. Tickets are $30 CASH ONLY at the door and parents will need to sign a paper permission form in person before student entry to the epic cycle for those who did not pay on the portal.

Dress Code: This is not a uniformed event. Coverage should be the same as the standard middle school uniform and in accordance with Non-Uniform Dress Code for Special Events on page 51 of the Family Handbook. No large distracting logos. Students are encouraged to dress warmly, and to wear gym-appropriate athletic shoes. House shirts are also recommended!

Cell phones must be brought in a zip-top baggy clearly labeled with the student’s name.

Students must be picked up from the event by 10:15 PM.

Please email Mr. Kilcup at mkilcup@glendaleprep.org with questions.

Students Collect Flags

Did you know that we have a couple of students collecting old and retired national flags so that they can donate the grommets to the Arizona Sons of the American Legion? The grommets will be carefully removed, and the flags will be disposed of properly. The grommets will be melted with tin and Arizona copper to cast the 3 bells for the US Navy to select from for the official bell of the new USS Arizona set to launch in 2025. This is the first time a vessel has held the name since 1941! We are excited to help in this small piece of AZ History. They are even planning to submit our school’s name to be engraved in the bell. If you have any old flags that you wish to retire, please drop them off in the front office before February 21^st. Thank you!

Griffin Players Presents Boy Meets Girl

Join the Griffin Players for their winter production, Boy Meets Girl, a romp through 1930s Hollywood and a romantic comedy about the making of a romantic comedy. Performances are February 16th-17th and February 23rd-24th at 7:30PM with an additional performance at 2:30PM each Saturday. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for non-students on the payment portal HERE.

Robotics

Tomorrow, Saturday, February 3rd, both of our 8^th – 12^th grade robotics teams are competing in their last regular season competition. The teams will compete in an alliance format with two teams of two playing in a two and a half minute game where the robots must perform many tasks at speed to earn points, some pre-programmed using sensors and instructions, and others by being driven by the students. The event is between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM down at American Leadership Academy Applied Technology Campus between Mesa and Queen Creek. The event is free and open to the public. The following link is to a recent competition where we set (and still hold!) the Arizona state record this season: link.

High School Winter Formal: A Night at Gatsby’s

We are excited to host the High School Winter Dance for all high school students on Saturday, February 10, 2024, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm in the GP Gym. The theme is Gatsby!

Tickets are $20 on the payment portal HERE until Wednesday, February 7, 2024, when they will increase to $25. Tickets after 5:00 pm on February 10^th will be $30 cash ONLY at the door. Parents of these students must come to the door to sign the permission slip in person. For more information, please contact Madame Cognet-Pereira at ccognet-pereira@glendaleprep.org.

Students are expected to adhere to the following dress code:

The dress code for gentlemen is as follows:

• Dress pants (no jeans, shorts, or pants with an exposed back pocket) of an appropriate length and fit with a belt
  • Rips or torn hems are not acceptable.
• A properly fitted collared dress shirt
  • Deep V-neck shirts are not acceptable.
  • Rips and cutouts are not acceptable.
• Shirts must be tucked in at the waist.
• A tie or bow tie is required
• Socks and dress shoes or sneakers must be worn throughout the night
  • No bare feet, slippers, flip flops, or sandals are allowed.
• No dyed hair or hats. Hair should be trimmed appropriately.

The dress code for ladies is as follows:

• Skirts or dresses with hemlines no shorter than mid-thigh – this includes when the young lady is dancing, twirling, sitting, or walking. Appropriately fitted dress pants are also allowed.
• Body-con dresses are not permitted.
• Cap-sleeve, spaghetti straps, one-shoulder, halter, and tank-top dresses/blouses are allowed.
• Halter top dresses are allowed, as long as the chest is fully covered.
• Ladies may not wear strapless dresses.
• Bare midriffs are not acceptable, nor are cut outs in the front, back, or sides (including ones that are see-through, sheer, or illusion fabrics).
• Dresses must not have exposed décolletage/cleavage and the backs should dip no lower than the base of the shoulder blade.
• Dress shoes or sneakers to be worn throughout the night. No bare feet or casual sandals are allowed.
• Hair should be styled appropriately and in a natural color.

2024 Great Hearts Gala

Great Hearts is seeking families to represent our academy on the 2024 Great Hearts Gala Committee. If you are interested in serving on the committee, please contact Keara Katayama at keara.katayama@greathearts.org. Please view the invitation for more information HERE!

Tax Credit

Tax Credit season is upon us!  Don’t forget to make your tax credit to Glendale Prep before you file. Making a tax credit gift has never been easier!  Simply click on this link to Donate to Glendale Preparatory Tax Credit Drive.  A receipt will be emailed to you immediately to complete Form 322 to claim your Tax Credit dollar-for-dollar. Please share this information with your friends and family. Anyone that pays income tax in the state of Arizona is eligible to give to a school of their choice. Questions? Please reach out to Tammy Kempton. Thank you for your support!

College Counseling

ASU SUMMER PROGRAMS: If your student is a high school student or a rising high school student, ASU offers a variety of summer programs located on various campuses including the Barrett Summer Scholars Program. To learn more about individual programs and access applications, utilize this LINK.

MIDWESTERN UNIVERSITY SUMMER HEALTH INSTITUTE: If your student is interested in experiencing healthcare related careers, consider applying to Midwestern’s Summer Health Institute. You can view their flyer HERE for more details. The deadline to apply for the program is April 1, 2024.

10^th and 11^th Graders: GREAT HEARTS COLLEGE SYMPOSIUM: This annual event takes place TOMORROW, Saturday, February 3, 2024 and is for all juniors and sophomores and their parents. An optional Essay Writing workshop providing information from a college admissions representative will begin at 3:15 pm while the actual event will begin at 4:00 pm with a presentation from ASU and UA representatives on Admissions and Financial Aid. For a detailed breakdown of the agenda and a registration link.

ACT Save the Date: See detailed email sent Tuesday, January 30th. Tests will take place at Glendale Prep in the morning. Please ensure your student arrives by 8:05am and if possible, avoid scheduling appointments, as this is a state mandated test.

• Freshman Aspire ACT – Monday, April 15
• Sophomores ACT (unofficial)  – Tuesday, April 16
• Juniors ACT – Thursday, April 18

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams will take place at Scottsdale Prep in the spring and are open to all high school students who wish to self-study and sit for an exam. Please note that AP exams are not part of our curriculum, nor is there an expectation from colleges that our students report AP scores.

Registration is a two-part process:

1.       Students/parents go to Scottsdale Prep’s Configio to select and pay for exam.

2.       Student logs-in to their College Board account and input the ‘active join code’ found on the Configio site when they paid for the exam.

The cost is $138.00 per exam by March 1st, 2024. Participants should bring non-mechanical number two pencils and a personal calculator to the exam.

Athletics

High School Spring Sports Start Monday 2/5: High school spring sports start Monday, February 5^th. Make sure your athlete’s documents are uploaded to Big Teams so they can be cleared to participate. If you have specific sport questions, reach out to the coach. The sports we offer for high school in the spring are tennis (Coach Zach Cecil – Zachary_cecil@aol.com), track and field (Coach Eric Webdale – ewebdale@glendaleprep.org), baseball (Coach Rick Green – rgreen@glendaleprep.org), softball (Coach Christene Lucius – clucius@glendaleprep.org), and golf (Coach Larry Valenzuela – lvalenz623@gmail.org).

***High school golf will begin on Monday, February 12^th. All schedule information for golf will be provided at meet the coach night.

Middle School Spring Sports Start Monday 2/12

Spring Sports: Meet the Coach night for spring sports is February 8^th at 6:00 PM in the Glendale Prep Courtyard. More information will follow for tryout dates and sports offered during the spring.

High School Girls Powderpuff Game: The Athletic department Powderpuff flag football game will be played on Friday, February 23rd. This is open to all high school girls. Each grade level has a captain who has been collecting names of interested students.

Game Volunteers: We are always in need of parent volunteers to help run home games. Concession stand, entrance, and other volunteers help our events run smoothly. If interested, email gp_APO@glendalepreppo.org to join or learn more! You can also reach out to athletics@glendaleprep.org.

*Visit azpreps365.com for detailed HS brackets and ticket information.

*Visit Glendale Prep – Gamesource for updated middle school schedules.

Tax Credits: Contact tkempton@glendaleprep.org for tax credit questions and details. Your tax credits directly support GP Athletics!

Hiring Event- TOMORROW!

Contact Information
Lynn Kimpel, Office Manager
lkimpel@glendaleprep.org

Attendance Line:
623-889-0822 Option 4
or attendance@glendaleprep.org