Weekly Blast 9.25.2020

• Sept 25 – Q2 Change Deadline
• Oct 2 – Early Release 12:05 p.m.
• Oct 5-9 – Fall Break
• Oct 12-16 – P/T Conferences & Project Week
• Oct 19 – First Day of Quarter 2 (Block A)
• Oct 19 – HS Symposium
• Oct 29 – PSAT 9th-11th Grade
• Oct 29 – Early Release 12:05 p.m.
• Oct 29 – Last Day to Wear Shorts
• Nov 4 – Picture Day
• Nov 11 – Veteran’s Day (No School)

1. A Note From Headmaster
2. Parent-Teacher Conferences
3. Project/Independent Study Week
4. Great Hearts Telethon
5. One Location Drop Off
6. Uniform Policy Reminder
7. College Counseling
8. GP Athletics
9. Opt-In Text Communication
10. Front Office Visitors
11. GP Block Schedule: Regular & Half Days

Hello Parents,

I cannot believe we have only one more week in Quarter 1. Thank you for your commitment, patience, and support as we began our school year entirely remote and have transitioned back onsite. This Fall Break is much needed, so teachers and students (and parents) can rest. Conference Week (October 12^th-16^th) is a wonderful event that highlights our sense of community and partnership with you. There is something truly special and human in sharing time, if only fifteen minutes, to have a brief conversation about each student, discussing a student’s strengths and areas of needed improvement. There is no doubt that Conference Week is exhausting for our teachers, who finish Quarter 1 grading and evaluations the week prior during their Fall break. For this year only, I am making a special request– If you do not believe you necessarily would need or want a conference with your child’s teachers, the idea of a Zoom conference does not seem fitting, or you and your family simply want extended time for a vacation/break without scheduling around a conference, I am asking you to consider forgoing attending this year and not signing up.

However, know this, we will happily join any parent who would like a conference. My request is on behalf of teachers, not a request they asked that I make to you. We understand how vital and necessary a conference is for specific students. We will schedule conferences to begin in the morning and end in the afternoon, but if our teachers can close out each day a bit earlier than 5:30 p.m. because some parents elect not to attend conferences, we understand and see this as simply an opportunity for them to have bit more of a break before Quarter 2.

Sincerely,

Mr. Navarrette

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 for each section/grade will be emailed to you along with instructions for sign-up next week. Please do not send requests for conferences via email for an alternate date. Conferences are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Middle School conference handout linked here.
High School conference handout linked here.

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.
7th Grade Life Science:
All Creatures Great and Small, ISBN: 978-1250057839 Assignment is linked here.
8th Grade Medieval History:
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Tolkien translation), ISBN: 978-0345277602 Assignment is linked here.

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. High School (9th-12th Grade) Independent Study Week books can be purchased on the GP Payment Portal while supplies last. All high school students read the same book. Click here to reserve your High School Independent Study Week book now. The last day to reserve your book through the payment portal will be Tuesday, September 29^th. All books will be placed in student lockers by Friday, October 2nd. If supplies run out, you can still purchase a copy from your favorite vendors, such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble, using the correct ISBN provided below.

9th -12th Grade Humane Letters: O Pioneers! By Willa Cather, ISBN: 978-1593082055 See link here: (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/o-pioneers-willa-cather/1005704522)
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, should NOT order/pack a lunch unless there are specific dietary needs. PSO will be providing snacks for breaks throughout the day as well.

Great Hearts Telethon
We did it! To date, we have raised over $500,000 for the 2020 Teacher Excellence Fund, and the Telethon this past Saturday is a big reason why. Thank you to our donors, corporate sponsors, Telethon committee, student and parent volunteers, and all our wonderful families for supporting this event. If you were unable to join us, you can still watch the Telethon broadcast on our YouTube channel.

It was truly an entertaining and informative program full of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. Here are a few highlights of the day’s event:

• How we are funded and the purpose of the Teacher Excellence Fund [0:22]
• All about Great Hearts Arizona elementary schools [1:12]
• Poetry recitation from the 2020 BARD Winner [1:24]
• All about Great Hearts Arizona high schools [2:09]
• Mascot competition between all Arizona Prep academies [2:52]
• Individual Academy Highlights [beginning at 3:14] Each campus had a 30-minute segment co-hosted by its Prep and Archway Headmaster. Click here for the campus spotlight timestamps.
• Closing Remarks and Fundraising Reveal [8:50]

The Telethon replaced this year’s annual Great Hearts Gala due to COVID-19. Proceeds raised will go directly into teachers’ pockets as bonus compensation this coming December.

Did you know there is still time to give and honor a teacher today? Donate to the 2020 Teacher Excellence Fund here, or reach out to your Academy Giving Manager to learn more. 

The Teacher Excellence Fund bonus awards are distributed every December and are tied to performance, based on Headmaster teaching observations of both synchronous learning and recorded videos, excellence in the classroom, and overall commitment to our core purpose in serving students.

We are pleased to report that of the 578 teachers that received 2019 bonus awards last December, 90% returned to teach at a Great Hearts Academy for the 2020-2021 school year. The purpose to recognize and retain excellent teaching is working.

Thank you for your support of this exciting event benefiting our incredible faculty.

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

·        CLASS OF 2021 STUDENTS AND PARENTS: SAVE THE DATE October 1st at 6:30 p.m. for our Virtual FAFSA Information Workshop

o   Every year, the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) opens on October 1^st for those who are applying to colleges and universities for fall admissions. Completion of this document determines your Need-Based Financial Aid and typically needs to be on file to receive Merit Aid Awards. Lindsay Luzania, ASU Admissions Rep, will present valuable information to our senior families in a virtual format so you will be ready to complete the application. This event is for the Class of 2021 students and parents ONLY. Register here to receive the Zoom link. The Deadline to register is Wednesday, October 31st.

• PSAT DAY: On Thursday, October 29th all 9-11^th grade students will be taking the PSAT. Please make 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: Be looking for an invitation to join the GP College Counseling Google Classroom Class of 2023. Monitor this classroom frequently for upcoming virtual college events.

GP Athletics

Griffin Merge: GP Athletics is continually striving to provide the best experience, service, and coaching to our student-athletes, their families, and our great coaches.  As such, we are transitioning how we communicate from Team App to VNN Team Chat. VNN has several advantages for the Athletic Program in how we operate and communicate.

Effective September 28^th, all teams will be using VNN Team Chat for our key communication between coaches and teams instead of Team App. We are calling this process the “Griffin Merge.” Any questions, email jgarrison@glendaleprep.org.

Glendale Prep Home Games (Fan Experience): Great Hearts is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for our athletes and visiting teams. This fall, we will offer a limited fan experience with specific rules and protocols. Families of players and coaches will be allowed to attend all home events on campus. Events held in the Gymnasium will ONLY allow for TWO immediate members of the family. Events held outside at GP Stadium will allow up to FOUR immediate members of the family ONLY. This experience will be shared by both the home and visiting schools.

All spectators will be required to do the following:

• Wear a mask indoors/outdoors at all times. If you cannot wear a mask for a medical reason, we advise you not to attend.
• Log a temperature of 100 or lower.
• Respond to all Covid-19 Symptom Questions upon entry
• Stay with immediate family in the designated “pod” area. The support staff will make this clear at game time arrival.

A new addition to our game experience this year is livestreaming. GP Athletics will livestream all high school events on the Glendale Prep Sports Net. A link to enjoy this experience will be publicized for fan viewing; be sure to follow our social media pages to gain access to the links. Middle School live streaming is still in the works, but our hope is to provide this experience as well.

Athletic Payments
Click to pay for Middle School Fall Sports 20-21.
Click to pay for High School Fall Sports 20-21.

Sports Highlights: Visit glendaleprepathletics.com for highlights from this past week and articles!

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

Upcoming Senior Nights
October 1^st – Volleyball vs. Sedona Red Rock
October 2^nd – Football vs. Chandler Prep (Swim/XC will be honored as well, more details to come.)

Upcoming Games: Please visit glendaleprepathletics.com for game schedules and updates. Each venue has different spectator guidelines. Please check with your head coach and/or email athletics@glendaleprep.org before you plan to attend.

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 with your full name and the sport that your child participates in.

Opt-In Text Communication
Please opt-in to receive important text communications from the school by texting “yes” to 67587. If you change your mind in the future, you can reply “stop” to cancel future text updates. Thank you for your partnership.

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. We ask that when possible, appointments are scheduled for early release days, before school, or after school. 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 (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.

Block Schedule Regular and Half Days: Remote & Onsite

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