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Office Hours:
M, T, Th, F: 7:30 am - 4 pm
W: 7:30 am - 2:30 pm
480.222.4233
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From Headmaster Gillingham |
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Dear Families,
Welcome back from break. I hope you found it relaxing and rejuvenating. We have embarked on semester 2 and hopefully our last big changes. Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we navigated this new start.
I am most thankful for our teachers who are working harder than ever in conditions that are far from ideal. Each and every day they put our students first. The exhaustion of having to manage health protocols, planning for class, grading, in person and online learners, and two to three duties a day all while bringing their very best energy to the classroom takes its toll. I ask you to continue to reach out with words of gratitude and support for what you see in their work.
Normally when we return from break we open semester 2 with an alumni panel. I always look forward to hearing from our graduates, where they are the successes they have experienced and what they miss most about Arete Prep. This year Ms. Arguello put together a video of interviews, alumni videos and slides for our student body. You can watch that video here.
I would like to leave you with the following quote from Abigail Adams: "Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardour and attended to with diligence." In this time of pandemic and confusion, our curriculum and school community standout as shining examples of what it means to pursue Truth, Beauty and Goodness. But it is a pursuit full of reflection, difficult conversation, failure and growth not one of ease or luck. Congratulate your children on the hard work they are doing and celebrate their journey for their skill and virtue are needed in the years to come.
A few things of note:
For Distance Learners:
Moving sections or tracks:
- We are unable to change students sections or tracks. If your child is struggling please reach out to their teachers and /or the Dean. We can provide support to help them navigate this next semester.
Grade Level Parents:
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I am looking for three different grade level parents one in 6th, 7th and 9th grade to connect and support parents and students who have chosen to be online. Please email me directly if this interests you.
For In person Learners:
- If your child had been exposed to COVID please keep them home and contact the front office
- If your child has symptoms (runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, etc) keep them home and consider getting tested
Quarantines:
If your child is sick or quarantined and will miss five or less days, they will receive the work they missed from their teachers.
if your child is sick or quarantined and will miss more than 5 days, we have set up a plan by grade level. Once you notify the school the teachers or grade level lead will be in contact to share that information with you.
Sincerely,
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Julia Gillingham
Headmaster, Arete Preparatory Academy
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Students that would like retakes and students that missed the Fall Picture Day can have the pictures taken on Thursday, January 7. They will be called down for pictures in the morning.
To order pictures:
Order code: 53063YB
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Dress Code, Masks and Hygiene |
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As your students grow taller, their clothes seem to get smaller! Please check your student's skirt or pants length. The family handbook states that "pants must reach to the shoe but may not drag on the ground" and when a skirt is at the waist, "the skirt hem should be touching the top of the knee."
If a student's pants or skirt length is too short, you can expect to be contacted by the school. Be proactive in making sure they are in dress code after break.
For CDC guidelines about How to Store and Wash Masks, visit this link.
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No Parking at Wedgewood Weddings |
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Wedgewood Weddings, to the east of our campus, has stated the Arete community is NOT welcome to park in their parking lot. They will enforce this policy which could lead to vehicles being towed. |
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Construction Has Begun Nextdoor |
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Inspire Entertainment, the company that owns the lot next door to the west, has begun construction on a dance studio. Construction is scheduled to continue until August 2021.We will be sure to continue to offer details as they become available. Please do not drop off students in the parking lot near the construction site. While this has always been the case, for your child(ren)’s safety, it is particularly important while construction is underway. |
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Our 2021 yearbook staff is capturing all the interesting memories we are making this year! Make sure to order your yearbook now for just $50 or order online at jostens.com.
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Click here for PSAT details and how your student can prepare for the exam.
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PSO is looking forward to welcoming previous and new Arete Prep families and working with families to support the school admin and teachers this year. A few things to note:
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Mesa Community College and Chandler-Gilbert Community College
To schedule, an appointment click on one of the links below.
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The CDC revised its coronavirus guidelines on December 2, 2020, offering alternatives to its 14 day recommended quarantine period for individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19. The two new alternatives for the 14 day quarantine period can either (1) end after 10 days without a COVID-19 test if the individual is asymptomatic or (2) end after 7 days with a negative COVID-19 test and is asymptomatic. Please look for a communication from us soon about the implementation of these new guidelines, if, and after they are adopted by the Maricopa County of Health and Great Hearts Academies.
Traveling for the holiday season? Please review the International Travel Guidelines for COVID-19 below:
· Stay home for 14 days after you return from international AIR travel.
· Take your temperature two times a day and monitor for fever (100.4>). Also watch for cough or trouble breathing.
· Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work, school, or school activities/sports.
· Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares.
· Receive a negative COVID-19 test result 5 days or more after returning.
For your family’s safety and the safety of our school community, please note that certain countries/states are still experiencing an increase in Covid-19 cases. Click here for more information
The Maricopa County Department of Health defines a “close contact” as someone who has been within 6 feet of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for an accumulated time of 15 min or more over a period of 24 hours. If you have not received a notification from us, you were not determined to be in close contact with the student. To maintain privacy, we cannot divulge any additional information. Please reach out to Headmaster Chaney via email with any questions.
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Attention Remote Learning Families |
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Arete Prep would love to include your perspective of what you've experienced learning from home! Please send us good quality photos and stories for the yearbook of your remote learning experience to: apayearbook20@gmail.com
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As you begin to make your holiday plans, please remember that any international travel will result in quarantine (as many as 14 days) before your child/ren are permitted to return to school. The GreatHearts International Travel Policy can be found in our COVID Incident Response Guidelines and below for your convenience. Please notify administration if your family intends to travel internationally.
International Travel Isolation Guidelines
1. Stay home for 14 days after you return home from international travel.
2. Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for a fever. Also watch for cough or trouble breathing.
3. Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school
4. Do not take public transportation taxis, or ride-shares.
5. Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters)
Please note that Puerto Penasco is considered international
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MIDDLE SCHOOL: There will be a cart OUTSIDE the front office doors from 10:20 am - 11:20 am for lunches, the cart will be moved to the courtyard at 11:20 for students to pick up lunches.
HIGH SCHOOL: There will be a cart OUTSIDE the front office doors from 11:15 am - 12:15 pm for lunches, the cart will be moved to the courtyard at 12:20 for students to pick up lunches.
PLEASE NOTE: there will be no supervision of the lunch cart and we will not be responsible for lost lunches. Door Dash/Uber Eats will need to be delivered onto the cart as we will not accept them in the front office. They can be delivered between 10:20 am - 11:20 am.
If you are attending in-person and borrowed an Arete Prep Laptop/Device, please hold onto the laptop until further notice.
Google Classroom Help
Remote Learning Info:
https://areteprepacademy.greatheartsamerica.org/remote-learning/
There will be NO student item drop off during the day.
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We ask that students not wear masks with exhalation valves, vents or mesh. These type of masks do not prevent the person wearing the mask from transmitting COVID-19 to others. The purpose of masks is to keep respiratory droplets from reaching others to aid with source control. |
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New Volunteer Clearance Process |
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Great Hearts has changed the volunteer fingerprint process effective with the 2020-21 school year. The application is entirely online and available now. All volunteers must be approved through this new online procedure, including those with previously issued/non-expired Great Hearts badges, there will be no exceptions. Please note, when selecting the school, it will not differentiate between Arete Prep and Archway Arete, it will simply state Great Hearts Arete. The system will approve you for both schools.
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Arete Prep & Communication |
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A weekly email newsletter for parents is sent each Friday and includes important upcoming events and information from the school including College Counseling and the Parent Service Organization.
Please be aware that our preferred method of communication is via email, so it is vital that we have up-to-date email addresses on file so that we can keep you informed. Please email Beth Melvin with any updates to email addresses.
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Arete Preparatory Academy | 480.222.4233 |
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