CONTENTS
A NOTE FROM THE HEADMASTER
HIGH SCHOOL SPECIFICS
MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIFICS
ATHLETICS
COLLEGE COUNSELING
FAMILY GIVING
DATES TO NOTE
DEC 20- WINTER BREAK- NO SCHOOL
JAN 6
JAN 7 FIRST DAY OF QUARTER 3
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,
Today we arrive at the close of the first half of the school year, and I want to take a moment to reflect on all we have accomplished together and to wish you and your families a joyful and well-deserved winter break.
Twenty-two weeks ago, I stepped into the role of Interim Headmaster, and with the support and dedication of our remarkable faculty, I later accepted the privilege of serving as Headmaster. I am deeply grateful for this entire community, and I can say without hesitation that there is no school community that I would rather walk alongside as we guide our students in the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty.
This semester has been full of growth and discovery in change. Students have tackled the challenges of academics, explored the arts through creating works of art, reciting and writing poetry, performing in choral and instrumental concerts, and drama productions, and experienced meaningful retreats that have strengthened friendships. We have celebrated milestones, from conferring blazers to honoring seniors with pins. And we have watched, day after day, as our students develop not only academically, but as students of virtue.
All of this has only been possible because of the extraordinary dedication of our teachers, the partnership with you, our families, and the commitment of our students. And now, after a busy and rewarding first half of the year, it is time for rest, leisure, and time together as a family.
From all of us at Glendale Preparatory, we wish you a wonderful holiday and a blessed New Year. May the coming weeks bring you rest, joy, and cherished moments with those you love. We look forward to welcoming our students back in 2026 for another semester together.
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
MIDDLE SCHOOL
IXL
Beat Winter Break Boredom with IXL!
We hope you and your family enjoy your holiday break, but we also know that it can be tricky to keep kids busy over extended breaks. Below is a quick video helping you understand all of the tools that IXL has to offer that you can utilize at home. Students who have participated in math interventions already have “teacher assigned” skills that they could continue working on. Further, IXL has a Smart Diagnostic tool that adapts to pinpoint individual student levels and gaps and gives specific recommendations to your student based on the diagnostic. Lastly, there is a vast library of individual skills that you can browse and pick specific skills that your student may need additional practice with. Some great areas of focus are “Integer Operations” which includes mastering adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing positive and negative numbers and “One or Two Step Equations” which focuses on the basic Algebra skills that will continue to be used in all levels of math throughout middle school and high school.
ITEMS TO NOTE
FINAL EXAM ABSENCES
Students who missed a final exam due to illness with a doctor’s note will make up any missed final exams upon our return from winter break. Parents will be notified of the specific exam dates and times via email. Unexcused absences or illness without a doctor’s note will result in the score of a zero for any missed final exam.
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 SCHEDULES
Semester 2 schedules will be emailed to families on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
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.
UNIFORMS
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 also be sending out emails to families of students who are in need of addressing concerns related to short/skirt lengths, torn sweaters, tattered oxfords, etc.
HOMEWORK CLUB
Homework Club will resume Wednesday, January 7. Students may need a reminder to pack their lunch!
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 Test
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
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.
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
Thank You and Warm Wishes for Winter Break
Dear Glendale Prep Families,
As we wrap up the semester and head into Winter Break, I want to extend my sincere thanks for your continued support of Glendale Prep this year. Your generosity, involvement, and partnership make a meaningful difference in the life of our school and directly support our students, teachers, and programs.
I hope the coming weeks bring you a restful and joy-filled break, full of time with family and friends. I look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for a strong start in the new year.
If you have any questions over the break about Community Investment or the Arizona Public School Tax Credit, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to help and can be reached at tkempton@glendaleprep.org.
Wishing you a wonderful Winter Break and a Happy New Year!
Warm regards,
Tammy Kempton
CONTACT INFORMATION
Jenny Haley, Office Manager
JHaley@glendaleprep.org
GLENDALE PREP ATTENDANCE
623.889.0822
Option 4
attendance@glendaleprep.org