Knightly Update July 23, 2023
ACP High School - Edition Vol 3 Issue 3
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We had a great start to the school year! The seniors did a wonderful job welcoming our students and they, along with our Link Crew members, helped our new Knights (teachers and students) when they had a question or needed assistance. All-in-all it was a very good start to the year, and I am looking forward to our first full week of school. My thanks to the entire Knight community for an awesome start.
I am always excited to share great things about our students, alumni, faculty, and school community in our weekly update. If you have anything you want me to share in our "Knights in the Spotlight" section, please email me. We have so many awesome things happening, and it is wonderful to have the opportunity to share these highlights with everyone, so don't be shy, share away, and send those amazing achievements my way.
This week, we plan to distribute school-issued laptops to all our students on Wednesday and Thursday. In order for a student to receive a laptop, families must sign the CUSD 1:1 Device Agreement. Students who do not have this agreement submitted within Infinite Campus will not receive a laptop. I have received a few questions about whether students should check out a school laptop if they have their own device and the simple answer is, yes. Students can certainly use their own laptops if they wish, they do not need to use the devices provided by the school. However, they will be unable to receive support at school if there are issues with their device and we will be unable to push out important software that students may need. Additionally, students will NOT be permitted to take any online assessment (e.g., ACT, PSAT, AP, Common Finals, teacher generated online assessments) via their own device. Families can choose to decline the annual $25 protection fee, but all students should plan to get a school issued device and sign the CUSD 1:1 Device Agreement. If you or any of our students have questions about school issued laptops, please contact me.
As enrollment numbers change, scheduling questions continue to be addressed by our counseling team. It takes a few days to make these adjustments, but the team is working diligently to complete this task as quickly as possible. There are many action steps taking place behind the scenes to complete this work, but rest assured, the work will be done as quickly as possible.
With over 600 new Knights joining our school community, it will take some time for everyone to settle in and adjust to the new year. Please encourage your child to meet new people, get involved, and enjoy all that high school has to offer. We are a community of Knights, and the more we do to support one another and cheer each other on and build each other up, the better, stronger and more uKNIGHTed we will be!
With that said, it was fantastic to see so many of our students at Friday's Splash Night. It was a very fun night and I hope the students had a good time celebrating the start of the school year with their peers. Thank you to StuGo, our PTO, ACPHS security, and the numerous teachers and parent volunteers that helped to make this event possible. It was a wonderful evening. Thank you!
I hope you have a great week. Thanks again to the Class of 2024 and to our Link Crew members for helping to get the year off to a fantastic start; and thank you for choosing ACPHS. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Enjoy your week.
Rob Bickes
Principal
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School Events - Week of July 24th
Site events listed in bold.
Monday, July 24
- 2:30 - Cheer Tryouts begin ACPHS Auxiliary Gym
- 2:30 - Dance Team Tryouts begin, room E109
Tuesday, July 25
- No student events scheduled
Wednesday, July 26
- Block Day Schedule Begins (Odd Classes Meet)
- 1:1 Laptop Distribution via English Classes
- 2:30 - Fall Musical Auditions begin, ACPHS Performing Arts Center
Thursday, July 27
- Block Day Schedule (Even Classes Meet)
- 1:1 Laptop Distribution via English Classes
Friday, July 28
- Spirit Day - Band T-Shirt Day
- 8:40 AM - School Assembly, Football Field (See Alternative Traditional Schedule below)
Saturday, July 29
- 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM - StuGo Retreat, rooms D216, D217, D221
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SAVE THE DATE
New Family Transition Night - Thursday, August 3 - 5:30 PM - Details below
Meet the Teacher - Thursday, August 17 - 6:00 PM - Details below
LIBRARY CLOSED
Due to 1:1 laptop distribution, the library will be closed July 24th-July 28th
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Knights in the Spotlight
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Welcome to ACP!
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1:1 Laptop Agreement Form
ALL FAMILIES MUST COMPLETE THIS ELECTRONIC AGREEMENT
For the 2023-2024, all ACP high school students will receive a laptop as part of the Chandler Unified School District's 1:1 learning initiative. We are excited about the innovative personalized learning opportunities that we can offer to all students when we provide them with a reliable technology device.
To help parents and students learn more about this initiative, the district created our 1:1 Student Guide website, which you can find at https://1to1.gse.cusd80.com. There is a lot of information on this website, but we feel it is important to the success of this initiative to clearly communicate all of it to our parents and students. We encourage all of you to review this information with your child(ren) so you have a clear understanding of device expectations, maintenance, etc.
Devices will be distributed the week of July 24th. Before students can get their device, their parent/guardian must sign a device agreement form. This form can be completed electronically by visiting the Infinite Campus parent portal, and directions on how to do this can be found at https://1to1.gse.cusd80.com/cusd-11-device-agreement. If you are unable to complete the form electronically, please contact our school.
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ACP Mountain Bike Club
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ACPHS Girls' Volleyball
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Attention Class of 2027 - IMPACT Chandler Scholars Program
- maintaining a 3.4 or greater GPA
- cumulative attendance at 95% or greater
- submit at least 100 hours of community service before April 1st of their senior year.
Students who fulfill all program requirements are considered IMPACT Scholars and receive additional honors at graduation including letters of recommendation and an honor cord to wear with their cap and gown.
IMPACT Chandler Scholars are then considered eligible to apply for an IMPACT Scholarship. In years past, this scholarship has been approximately $1,000 per award and is based upon available funding each year.
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EVITA AUDITions
Hey Knights! It’s time to start getting ready for the fall show, “Evita”! “Evita” is a renowned musical (winner of 7 TONY awards) that chronicles the remarkable life of Eva Perón, from her impoverished upbringing to her meteoric rise as the First Lady of Argentina. This captivating production delves into her charismatic persona, political influence, and the enduring legacy she left behind. With an upbeat score, intense choreography, and a thrilling plot, this is not an experience you’ll want to miss out on. Auditions are the 26th and 27th of July, so be sure to reserve your slot using the Sign-up Genius below. If you’re feeling a bit hesitant or overall just want some extra help prior to your audition, come out to Knights Theatre Company’s Audition Workshop on July 24th to work with other theatre students on song choices, audition etiquette, and more! We can’t wait to get working on this show and we hope you’ll join us!
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Girls Flag Football Tryouts
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Dine to Donate Night
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ASVAB Career Exploration Program
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Senior Assembly and Alternative Schedule, Friday 7/28
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New Family Transition Night
New to Arizona College Preparatory? New to CUSD? Feeling overwhelmed with the transition to high school? Have questions you would really like to ask? This meeting is designed to help you. Join Mr. Bickes on Thursday, August 3rd, at 5:30 PM in our performing arts center as he shares steps families can take to help your child make a successful transition to high school or to ACP in general. Learn how you can help your child become a better student and what to expect over the next few years.
A PowerPoint presentation will accompany the meeting and several hand-outs will be provided to assist you and your child in making the transition to ACP. Doors open at 5:15 and the presentation typically lasts one hour. Questions? Please contact administration.
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MEET THE TEACHER - AUGUST 17 - 6:00 PM
The purpose of the evening is for each of your child's teachers to give you a brief overview of the curriculum, review what your child will be studying, and the materials teachers and students will be using in order to achieve our academic goals.
There will not be a lot of time for individual questions, but parents or students may leave their phone numbers and email addresses, and our instructors will follow-up as appropriate. We hope to see you there!
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Student Photos & Student ID Cards
All ACP students will have their picture taken on Tuesday, August 1st and Wednesday, August 2nd. This photo will serve as the students school ID photo, yearbook photo (grades 9-11), and publicity photos if/when needed. So be prepared to put on your best smile.
All students are required to have their student ID in their possession at all times while on campus and must present their ID at the request of any faculty or staff member. Additionally, in order for students to attend school events, students must present their ID card. If the ID is lost or stolen, there is a $5.00 replacement fee. We encourage students to take a picture of their ID card and to store this picture on their phone
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Student Accounts & Passwords
Returning to CUSD Students: If you're a continuing CUSD student from last school year, your student password has remained the same. If you forgot your password, please contact the ACPHS front office for a password reset. Please note that all student passwords were reset on Monday, July 17th.
New to CUSD Students: If you are new to CUSD, parents must first create an Infinite Campus Portal account to retrieve their student's ID number. A student cannot set up their accounts without an ID number. Parents can set up an Infinite Campus Portal account by clicking here. New students will follow the same directions below once they receive their student ID number from their parent.
All students must first change their Microsoft Password prior to accessing Infinite Campus. It does not matter what type of device in which this is completed. Please note that the Microsoft password is different than the students google password.
Student Password Progression for Microsoft/Infinite Campus
1. Parent must first set up an Infinite Campus Portal to retrieve Student ID.
2. Log into Infinite Campus
Grades 7-12
- Pattern: first initial + last initial + birthdate (MMDDYY format)
- Example: sophomore Annie Smith whose birthday is October 3, 2007 will have their password reset to as100307
- 7-12 students will be forced to change their password after it is reset
Students can change their Google password by logging in to their Google account (accounts.google.com) with their reset password on any device, at school or at home
- Username for Google is s+id@gse.cusd80.com – example s123456@gse.cusd80.com
Students can change their Microsoft password by either:
- logging on to a CUSD Windows device with their reset password, or
- logging in to the Microsoft portal (myaccount.microsoft.com) with their reset password on any device at school or at home.
- Username for Microsoft is s+id@s.cusd80.com – example s123456@s.cusd80.com
- When forced to change the password, the new password must include 8 characters. 3 of these 4 things must be included; uppercase letter, lowercase letter, number, and special character. The password cannot be the student's first or last name, or ID number.
All 2-12 students must change their Microsoft password after it is reset before accessing Infinite Campus.
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Annual Family Information Update
At the start of each school year, families must update and verify important information such as address, phone numbers, emergency contacts, handbook consents, etc. The parent portal is now available to update your information for you to complete this task.
Please log into your Infinite Campus Parent Portal Account (click here) to make any necessary changes to your family's account.
Once you log into your account, please follow these steps:
- Click on "More" on the bottom left hand side of the portal screen
- Click on "Annual Update and New Student Registration"
- Click on "Start" next to the second 23-24 line that says "Not Started"
- Click "Begin Registration"
- If you are using the app, click the three lines on the top left, click on "More", and then click on "Annual Update and New Student Registration".
This update must be completed annually.
Please be advised that the answers provided on the Annual Update for the 22-23 school year will be end dated, so it's important that you complete this update for the 23-24 school year in order to have valid information for items such as Media Release, Internet Release, Virtual Consent, etc.
If you have not setup a parent portal account, please click here and follow the instructions on the site. Should you need any assistance or have any questions please contact our administrative office.
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Coca-Cola Scholarship
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The Prep PTO
The PREP PTO is the official parent/teacher organization of ACP High. Our role is to help support the staff, students, and faculty of ACP. School funds only go so far. We work closely with the administration to help determine the needs and then fund those needs. We support back-to-school events, teacher requests, general requests from the administration, graduation, and so much more. We support the entire school!
We do minimal fundraising throughout the year, so to assist us with our events and school support, we ask families to consider making a Booster donation.
Our suggested Booster Donation is:
$60 per student
$90 per family (2 or more students attending ACPHS)
Donations over $150 will receive an ACP Spirit T-shirt by the end of August.
Any donations to The Prep PTO are greatly appreciated but are not required.
The PrepPTO is a member of the Chandler School Boosters 501c3 non-profit organization. Your donation may be tax-deductible. Please consult your tax professional for information/clarification.
Thank you for your support.
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Signing Students Out From School
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Get Your 2023-2024 Yearbook
For your convenience, this year's yearbook may be purchased online at jostensyearbooks.com (type in "Arizona College Prep High School") or you can simply click on the button below to go directly to our school's webpage. You may begin purchasing your yearbook on July 5th. Yearbook packages include:
Back-to-school special: $75.00. This is the lowest price of the year with a savings of $15.00.
Signature package: $92.00 includes yearbook, personalization, autograph pens, and autograph pages. The free icons are a back-to-school special only for a limited time. Additional accessories available for purchase.
Personalized yearbook cost: $82.00 includes name embossed on the cover and 4 free icons of your choice. The free icons are a back-to-school special for a limited time only. Additional accessories available for purchase.
Prices will increase on all three options throughout the year, and there are a limited number of yearbooks for sale, so be sure to purchase yours today! This back-to-school special ends August 18th, but you can still purchase a yearbook until February 28th. Arizona College Prep High School has received the National Yearbook Program of Excellence Award the past four consecutive school years.
If you have any questions click here to email Mrs. Patterson.
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Class of 2024 Senior Pictures
The first step of your senior journey is to have your portrait taken for the yearbook. The yearbook’s deadline for senior pictures is September 16, 2023. In order to meet this deadline, we have partnered with Lou Coopey Photography in Mesa, AZ to take your yearbook photos. Photos taken past this date risk not being placed in the yearbook due to deadlines. If you schedule your picture past this date, please see Mrs. Patterson no later than Monday, September 11th.
There are two options: one is free, the other is $40.00. Please read through this message completely for details and choose the option that works best for you. If you have questions, please email Mrs. Patterson at Patterson.kristin@cusd80.com
OPTION 1 ($40.00 deposit, $50.00 credit to account):
Schedule an appointment with Lou Coopey to have your portrait taken at their Mesa studio located at 202 N Lindsay Rd Suite 101, Mesa, AZ 85213 before the September 16th deadline.
Key Information about Option 1:
- A $40 deposit will be collected at the time of scheduling.
- This deposit, along with a $10 credit ($50.00 total) will be applied to each account to purchase portraits and services offered by Lou Coopey.
- Satisfaction guaranteed including retakes, reprints or refund (if certain restrictions are met for refund).
- After 30 days, the $10 complimentary credit will expire.
- The $40 remains on your account and can be used for any senior portrait purchase.
- Click here to book your appointment: https://lcpseniors.as.me/schedule.php
- Or go to https://loucoopey.com/ and click the red button to book your appointment.
To ensure a preferred experience for your Senior Portrait session, please keep in mind the following:
- It is recommended that Seniors bring their own clothing. However, if necessary, the studio will provide loaner jackets, ties, and drapes as needed.
- Students are encouraged to bring props to personalize the photo experience (i.e., sports equipment, musical instruments, etc.)
- All studio services beyond the sitting (scheduling, ordering pictures, and paying fees) will be conducted online.
- Senior sessions will include 9-14 poses (with more poses available if you have additional outfits) on a variety of backgrounds as well as Cap & Gown photos for graduation.
- All post-sitting contact will be done online (choosing the yearbook pose, ordering photos, and any additional payment).
- Students must be dressed to impress (collared shirt, tie, dress, and/or professional blouse) for their senior portrait.
Option 2 ($0.00):
Take your senior yearbook photo on campus on October 24, 2023. Note: if you choose this option, you will only be able to take your photo in one outfit due to time constraints with your classes that day.
Key Information about Option 2:
- A limited number of poses will be taken on the yearbook background only.
- Students must be dressed to impress (collared shirt, tie, dress, and/or professional blouse) for their senior portrait. Students may not take their pictures in school uniform this day but must change into professional attire prior to their picture being taken.
NOTE: For both options, students must dress to impress (collared shirt, tie, suit jacket, dress, and/or professional blouse/professional wear). Clothing must be free of logos/signage/text and should not be transparent or too revealing. Spaghetti straps of any width and off-the-shoulder tops are not permitted and will not be put in the yearbook. Jeans and denim shorts are not permitted in the yearbook. Head wear is not permitted (except in the case of religious or medical purposes).
Congratulations, Class of 2024!!
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Driving on Campus
Procedures for driving on campus are below and can be downloaded for your convenience. These procedures are to be followed by all families that drop-off and/or pick-up their child, and for students that choose to drive their personal vehicle to school and park in the student parking lot. Staff will be posted along the route to ensure procedures are followed appropriately.
- Parent/guardian vehicles must use the ingress east of the Visitor Parking Lot entrance on Brooks Farm Rd. and form two lanes (if driving west on Brooks Farm, please engage your turn signal if turning right onto campus)
- ACP Traffic should only enter the neighborhood from Gilbert Road and Brooks Farm Road (from the west): and Mustang Road and Chandler Heights (from the south).
- Do not enter the neighborhood from Lindsay Rd.
- Student vehicles must enter the campus via the ingress east of the JV softball field on Brooks Farm Rd.; Families may also drop off via this ingress (follow security directions if using this entrance)
- There is NO entrance to the campus from Gilbert Rd.
- Students may be dropped off/picked up along the sidewalks south of the administrative building and west of the B building and gymnasium.
- Parent vehicles in the left lane that have dropped off or picked up their child along the south side of the administrative building may exit the campus via the visitor parking lot exit.
- Parent/guardians in the right lane will exit the campus via the stadium traffic light turning north or south onto Gilbert Rd.
- Entrance to the campus via the visitor parking lot is closed from 6:45-7:30 AM and from 2:00-2:45 daily.
- DO NOT DROP OFF OR PICK UP YOUR CHILD IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS NEAR OR AROUND THE CAMPUS.
- Empathy for our residential neighbors is appreciated.
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Please Make a Tax Credit Donation
If you are able to make your tax contributions early in the year, your donation would be greatly appreciated and give us a jump start on some of our essential extracurricular activities. We have set a goal to collect approximately $50.00 per family for a total of $57,500.00 and hope that you will be willing to help us meet our goal. Thank you for supporting your child and our school!
Tax Credit Basics…
A tax credit donation is a full refund, not a deduction. Contributions eligible for a tax credit are donated directly to schools, not to the state or school district. To participate or learn more, follow the link listed below to donate online or you can complete the enclosed form and submit your contribution at your convenience.
http://www.cusd80.com/taxcredit
Arizona Law ARS 43-1089.01 enables taxpayers a tax credit contribution of up to $400.00 per year if filing status is “Married, filing Joint Return;” $200.00 per calendar year if filing status is “Single of Head of Household;” and $200 per calendar year if filing status is “Married filing separate returns.” These contributions fund extracurricular activities in public schools and greatly impact our school community and our students.
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Stay In Touch!
Follow us on Facebook:
Arizona College Prep High SchoolArizona College Prep - College & Career Center
ACP High School General Boosters
Don't forget to check with teams and clubs for the latest link to their Facebook sites.
Arizona College Prep High School
Don't forget to check with teams and clubs for the latest link to their Twitter sites.
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Contact Information
School Day Begins: 7:15 (gates close at 7:25)
School Day Ends: 2:15
Office Hours: 7:00-3:30
School Address:
4477 S. Gilbert Rd., Chandler, AZ 85249
Phone Numbers:
Administration: 480-424-8700
Attendance: 480-424-8703
Fax: 480-224-9268
Find us on the web: www.cusd80.com/acphs