- Great Hearts Glendale Prep, Serving Grades 6-12 - https://glendaleprep.greatheartsamerica.org -

Weekly Blast 10.2.2020

School Dates to Note:

  • Oct 5-9 – Fall Break
  • Oct 12-16 – Conferences & Project Wk
  • Oct 19 – First Day Quarter 2: Block A
  • Oct 19 – HS Symposium
  • Oct 29 – PSAT 9th-11th Grade
  • Oct 29 – Early Release 12:05 p.m.
  • Oct 30 – Last Day to Wear Shorts
  • Nov 4 – Picture Day
  • Nov 11 – Veteran’s Day/No School
Table of Contents:

  1. A Note From Headmaster [1]
  2. Travel Guidelines [2]
  3. Parent-Teacher Conferences [3]
  4. Project/Independent Study Week [4]
  5. Community Investment [5]
  6. One Location Drop Off [6]
  7. Uniform Policy Reminder [7]
  8. College Counseling [8]
  9. GP Athletics [9]
  10. Front Office Visitors [10]
  11. GP Block Schedule: Regular & Half Days [11]
A Note From Headmaster

Hello Parents,

What a Quarter it has been! We are so blessed to be back onsite each day while also serving our online students.  A worldwide pandemic has not prevented us from doing what we love- seeking truth with one another. We remain a strong community despite masks, temperature checks, blended classes, daily Zoom sessions, and social distancing. The start of school certainly brought new challenges and a perpetual need to adjust. We have had difficult days and better days. We have had days where one might forget there was a pandemic because students are seeking to know and discussing great ideas. I am so thankful for my administration team, staff, teachers, students, and you. I am humbled to be part of our community.

This Quarter will be memorable for years to come, so I leave you with a favorite quote from a favorite work of mine:

That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.

-Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

May you and your family have a safe and restful break.

Sincerely,

Mr. Navarrette

Travel Guidelines
If your family is planning on traveling to another country while on Fall Break, please keep in mind the Great Hearts guidelines on international travel (including Mexico). Per our Health Policy: students and staff must stay home for 14 days from the time you return home from international travel. During this 14-day period, take these steps to monitor your health and practice social distancing: 1. Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also, watch for cough or trouble breathing. 2. Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school.

Please see the following link to read the Policy in its entirety: https://www.greatheartsamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/GH-Health-Policy-revised-8.11.20.pdf [12]

Parent-Teacher Conferences
Conferences this year will be held remotely via Zoom. As usual, they will be fifteen minutes long. The format will be a round-table discussion including the parent and a panel of the student’s teachers. The Zoom link was included in the signup email. Please remember to use your student’s full name. Please do not send requests for conferences via email for an alternate date. Conferences are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Monday, Oct. 12th Tuesday, Oct. 13th Wednesday, Oct. 14th Thursday, Oct. 15th Friday, Oct. 16th
6D 6A 6C 6B 7A
8B 7B 7C 7d 8D
9th Mr. Maratea 8A 9th Mr. Fendler 8C 9th Mr. Wiebe
10th Mr. Fendler 9th Ms. Roiger 10th Ms. Hartig 11th Mr. Thompson 12th Mr. Gonzalez
12th Mr. Dyer 10th Ms. Wegener 11th Mr. Mobbs 12th Mr. Mobbs
11th Mr. Dyer 12th Mr. Boyer

Middle School conference instructions linked here. [13]
High School conference instructions linked here. [14]

Project Week/Independent Study Week
October 12th-October 16th all students will complete an independent study assignment at home (reading and writing) on a specific text related to a particular subject in their grade’s curriculum and will need to acquire this text prior to the beginning of Independent Study Week, if they have not done so already. Students do not attend school that week.

MIDDLE SCHOOL
All middle school students will read a different book depending upon their grade level. Middle School (6th-8th Grade) Independent Study Week books were included in the Classics to Keep list that students were asked to purchase at the beginning of the school year. If your Middle Schooler does not own a copy yet, the title and ISBN is provided below. 

6th Grade Lit/Comp:
The Magician’s Nephew, ISBN: 978-0064471107 Assignment is linked here [15].
7th Grade Life Science:
All Creatures Great and Small, ISBN: 978-1250057839 Assignment is linked here [16].
8th Grade Medieval History:
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Tolkien translation), ISBN: 978-0345277602 Assignment is linked here [17].

Middle school students will submit their Project Week assignment on the first day back in the class in which it was assigned (Monday, October 19th is a Block A day, Tuesday, October 20th is a Block B day).

HIGH SCHOOL 
All high school students will read the same book in preparation for the High School Symposium. You can purchase a copy from Barnes & Noble, using the correct ISBN provided below.

9th -12th Grade Humane Letters: O Pioneers! By Willa Cather, ISBN: 978-1593082055 Click to order: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/o-pioneers-willa-cather/1005704522 [18]Assignment is linked here. [19] 

Note: Seniors will be required to complete the reading portion of the assignment; however, they will not be required to complete the written portion, in order to focus their writing attention on their Senior Thesis.

The assignment for high school students will culminate with the Humane Letters Symposium and on Monday, October 19th, a day-long academic conference that will feature seminars and a guest lecture. Please note that the school will be providing pizza for high school students and therefore, 9th-12th grade students should NOT order/pack a lunch unless there are specific dietary needs. The PSO will be providing snacks for breaks throughout the day as well.

Community Investment

Wondering how you can best support Glendale Preparatory Academy during this challenging time? COMMUNITY INVESTMENT! Without Community Investment, the Great Hearts model would no longer exist! Truly, it is because of the generosity of our dedicated families that we are able to provide a Great Hearts education to your child. If you have not already given to our Community Investment campaign, we invite you to be a part of something extraordinary! Please don’t miss the opportunity to support our school in such an important way. Simply click here [20] to make a one-time gift, or click here [20] to set up monthly gifts. We need your support now more than ever. Thank you!

One Location Drop Off
If you have children at both Archway Glendale and Glendale Prep, please drop them off at the same location. Vehicles that drop off students on the north curb near the Glendale Prep gym, should NOT continue to the east curb to drop off additional students. Archway Glendale’s leadership strongly recommends that families dropping off both Archway Glendale and Glendale Prep students use the east curb only.

Uniform Policy Reminder
Beginning Monday, November 2nd, only pants and skirts may be worn to school. Shorts may not be worn again until after Spring Break. As a reminder, gentlemen may not wear white or ankle socks with pants. “Socks must be dark or tan in color, solid-colored, and free of logos or patterns.” The last day to wear shorts will be Friday, October 30th.

College Counseling

  • PSAT DAY: On Thursday, October 29th, all 9-11th grade students will be taking the PSAT. Please be sure your student gets plenty of rest the night before, eats a good breakfast, and arrives to school on time.
  • JUNIORS AND SENIORS: Remember to frequently check the College Counseling Google Classroom for valuable information regarding upcoming events and assignments.
  • SOPHOMORES: You have received an invitation to join the GP College Counseling Google Classroom Class of 2023. Monitor this classroom frequently for upcoming virtual college events.

GP Athletics
Sports Highlights: Visit glendaleprepathletics.com [21] for highlights from this past week and articles!

GP Photography: Our GP Photographers are now offering year-round photography! Visit glendaleprepathletics.com [22] – GP Photography for more information on how to retrieve one of their amazing shots of GP Athletic events!

Livestream: click the link: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCYts3u-p3dxij2bfa1TxKEw [23] at the time of any high school home event to receive live content straight to your mobile phone or home. *Games are subject to change, stay alert.

Follow Us
Instagram – @gpathleticdept
Facebook – Glendale Prep Athletics
Twitter – @gpathletics

Thank you to our GOLD Level Athletic Sponsors:
Penny Chiropractic.
Pete King Construction.
Shipley Orthodontics.

Contact them today and tell them Glendale Prep sent you!

To join our Athletic Parent Board email gp_APO@glendaleprep.org [24] with your full name and the sport that your child participates in.

Front Office Visitors
To limit the exposure of Covid-19 to the campus we ask that students are prepared for school each day. Please ensure your child has books, homework, lunch, mask, water bottle, and transportation plans before they arrive at school each morning. Lunches should only be dropped off on the rare occasion that lunch is accidentally left in the car or at home. Additionally, all PSO purchased items will be placed directly in your child’s locker if the student is an in-person learner. If the item is not there, please reach out to the PSO [25] (as we do not have access to those purchases). As an aside, we recommend students place a backup mask in their backpack or locker. Thank you for helping to keep our campus healthy and running. Please email any questions to attendance@glendaleprep.org [26].

Block Schedule Regular and Half Days: Remote & Onsite

*Please note that we will begin again with Block A after Fall Break.*