Glendale Preparatory Weekly blast 12.12.25
CONTENTS
A NOTE FROM THE HEADMASTER
HIGH SCHOOL SPECIFICS
MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIFICS
FINAL EXAMS
HOMEWORK CLUB
ATHLETICS
COLLEGE COUNSELING
FAMILY GIVING
DATES TO NOTE
DEC 15 NO SCHOOL- FINAL EXAM STUDY DAY
DEC 16-19 FINAL EXAM WEEK- NO HOMEWORK CLUB
JAN 7 FIRST DAY OF SEMESTER 2
A NOTE FROM THE HEADMASTER
Dear Glendale Prep Families,
As we prepare for final exam week next week, I have been reflecting on something that I shared with many of you at Curriculum Night back in August. I shared my story of standing beside my daughter Ava as a kindergartener. She was assigned her first poem to memorize, and I confessed to you that my initial instinct was to step in and soften the assignment or shield her from any possibility of humiliation or failure. It was only when I quieted my own fears that I watched her discover her own perseverance and strength while meeting a difficult challenge.
In his book The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt writes that struggles aren’t just “something to survive,” but rather essential experiences that allow young people to grow in competence, resilience, and confidence. When we rush in as parents to clear every obstacle from the path, we risk unintentionally limiting the very growth we desire for our children.
Finals week, in this sense, is more than a series of tests (and torture!). It is a week in which our students practice persevering through hard things. Our students will face concepts that require patience and problems that demand focus on six different exams. These challenges are not threats to their well-being, but rather invitations to become young men and women who rise, endure, and flourish, and this struggle is one of the most powerful tools in their formation.
As your students enter the weekend in preparation for finals, I invite you to you encourage them not by removing the challenge ahead, but by reminding that they are capable of meeting it. May this week shape not only what they know, but who they are becoming.
Warmly,
Mrs. Janssen
HIGH SCHOOL SPECIFIC
WINTER FORMAL
Save the date!
What: “Winter Wonderland” Glendale Prep’s High School Winter Formal
When: January 24, 2026, 6:30pm-9:00pm
*Dress code begins at 6:00pm; no entry after 6:30pm. Students will not be allowed to leave early.
The Deans of Students visited high school classrooms this week and provided permission slips and dress code details. Extra copies are in the front office.
Cost: $25. Payment Portal will open soon.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIFIC
SCHOOLWIDE INFO ACADEMIC
FINAL EXAMS
Semester 1 Final Examinations are fast approaching! Please take time to review with your students.
NOTE: There is NO School on Monday, December 15th to allow for uninterrupted study time at home.
FINAL EXAM ATTENDANCE
Final exams are a culmination of the material students have learned through the entirety of the first semester and account for 10% of a student’s final semester grade in each course. Please schedule appointments and vacations outside of the final exam testing window.
Students who miss a final exam due to illness with a doctor’s note will make up any missed final exams according to the following schedule. Unexcused absences or illness without a doctor’s note will result in the score of a zero for any missed final exam.
Parents will be notified of the confirmed final exam make-up date over the winter break.
SEMESTER 1 GRADES
Semester 1 grades for all courses are calculated the following:
45% Quarter 1
45% Quarter 2
10% Final Exam
Semester 1 evaluations will be emailed to families on Friday, January 9, 2026.
SEMESTER 2 NOTE
As we approach the second semester, please note that student schedule changes are expected.
• All students will begin a new Fine Arts class.
• In most cases, this will result in an updated class schedule.
• Although it is rare, there may be teacher changes in more than just Fine Arts classes due to the schedule changes.
SEMESTER 2 SCHEDULES
• Semester 2 schedules will be emailed to families on Tuesday, January 6.
• Paper copies of schedules will be passed out as students enter the courtyard on Wednesday, January 7. Wednesday is a Spirit Wear Wednesday, please remind your students.
HOMEWORK CLUB
• Homework Club will resume Wednesday, January 7. Students may need a reminder to pack their lunch!
SCHOOLWIDE INFO EVENTS & CULTURE
UNIFORMS
Parents, Winter Break is a great time to take inventory of student uniforms. Growing adolescents often means the hemlines of shorts/skirts may no longer hit the top of the knee, which is the dress code standard. Sweater elbows also find themselves worn through and may need to be replaced. Land’s End is our uniform supplier; former local suppliers may have remaining inventory. The Deans of Students will be sending out emails soon if your son or daughter has received more than three infractions this month.
SCHOOLWIDE INFO FRONT OFFICE
SCHOOLWIDE INFO OPERATIONS.
ATHLETICS
Athletic Sponsorship
Reach out to Tammy Kempton (tkempton@archwayglendale.org) or John Kontak (jkontak@glendaleprep.org) if you would like more information on banner sponsorships or designated athletic gifts.
Winter Sports Participation Fee Links
The winter sports participation fee links are live! Please pay your participation fee ASAP.
HS Participation Fee Link
HS PAY PORTAL / ALL SPORTS
MS Participation Fee Link
MS PAY PORTAL / ALL SPORTS
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
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 must do right now to make sure you get every penny of FREE MONEY available to you for your child’s college education.
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.
FAFSA Workshop
We will be hosting a workshop to answer FAFSA questions for parents of seniors at 6:00 pm on December 16th. This will be a virtual workshop and once you sign up, you will be sent a link. Please email Mrs. Sarbacker at ksarbacker@glendaleprep.org if you plan on attending. Prior to the workshop we are asking that you create an FSA ID, ensure you have everything on the FAFSA checklist, and complete as much of the form as you can. The links provided will enable most of you to complete the entire process without attending the workshop, but if you have any questions, please plan on joining us.
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.
University of Dallas Summer Program – Arete: An Introduction to the Classics
Arete engages students in understanding what excellence and the noble life require of them. The focus is on the ancient Greek philosophical and literary traditions (Plato, Aristotle and Sophocles), the medieval and Renaissance traditions (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Shakespeare) and modern poetry and stories (Keats, Hopkins, Wilbur and Flannery O’Connor). With a broad perspective on the Western tradition, students see how ancient ideas continue to shape and inform contemporary thought, and they earn college credit for their efforts.
This summer the session will be held on June 7-20, 2026. Students will attend lectures given by University of Dallas faculty members and seminars led by UDallas PhD students, as well as view acclaimed films, write essays, give an oral presentation, visit celebrated art museums, and attend a production at Shakespeare in the Park.
The deadline to apply is March 1, 2026 and applications can be found at udallas.edu/arete.
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.
College Tour in California – June 1-4, 2026
Great Hearts is providing high school students with the opportunity to participate in a four-day tour of nine different California colleges and universities. If you are interested, please see the attached flyer. For an itinerary, click here. There is a non-refundable deposit of $150 and the total cost for the trip is $859. If you have questions, please email Roslyn.fletcher@greathearts.org.
Save the Date for the Annual Great Hearts’ College Symposium on Saturday, February 28th
Each year Great Hearts hosts a College Symposium for 9th-11th grade students. There will be a college essay writing workshop, presentations for parents and students, and a college fair with college representatives from many colleges and universities across the country. You can register here.
FAMILY GIVING
Giving Tuesday….We Did It — And Then Some!
We are thrilled to share some incredible news: our community exceeded the Giving Tuesday goal of $15,000, raising more than $20,000 for our school! Your generosity and commitment to Glendale Prep continue to amaze us, and we are deeply grateful for every family who contributed on Giving Tuesday.
And yes… this means pies are happening!
As promised, at our Winter Spirit Assembly in January, students will have the chance to throw pies in the faces of our brave teachers and administrators. Thank you to our faculty for being such good sports, and to our families for bringing fun to life through your support! We will be sure to have this recorded for all families to view.
While we celebrate this milestone, we also want to share that we still have a way to go to meet our overall annual fundraising goal. If you haven’t yet had an opportunity to give this year, it’s never too late. Every contribution, no matter the size, directly strengthens our programs, supports our teachers, and enriches the student experience at Glendale Prep.
Thank you for being such an essential part of our school community. Your support makes all the difference.
With gratitude,
Tammy Kempton
Family Giving Officer