What is the Arcadia Snowstorm?
Instead of individual gifts to teachers and staff this year, we ask that you contribute to one collective, monetary gift that will be equally divided, packaged festively and distributed to the faculty this holiday season!

Why do Snowstorm?
It’s a way to show our teachers we appreciate the work they do every day. We can join together to help them pay for family gifts, travel for holiday visits and more.

How can you Donate?
Instead of individual gifts, we ask you to contribute to the monetary gift fund.
No gift is too small or too large!
100% of your generous donation will be given to our teachers and staff.
• ONLINE: Paypal or Credit Card (CLICK HERE or at arcadiapto.org)
• VENMO: @Arcadia-PTOInc
• CASH/CHECK: Please contact Monique Rogers at treasurer@arcadiapto.org
or Tricia Longnecker at tlongnecker4@gmail.com to make arrangements.

Snowstorm donations are tax deductible!
Credit card and cash transactions will be emailed a donation receipt. Please include
your email in the private venmo transaction if you would like a donation receipt.

Questions? Contact Tricia Longnecker at tlongnecker4@gmail.com.

Let’s spread the holiday cheer!

A Word From Dr. J 
PSAT Information for Tuesday, October 26, 2021  
Last week, Sara Johnson, Assistant Principal for Student Services sent information on our annual  PSAT testing day. Here is a quick summary of that communication: 
On Tuesday, October 26, 2021 Arcadia will be administering the PSAT exam to all 10th grade  students as well as select 11th graders who opted into taking the exam. Please review the  schedule below, and direct any PSAT questions to Ms. Johnson, sarajohnson@susd.org or Ms.  Hochstatter, khochstatter@susd.org. 
Grade Level Information: 
· 9TH Grade- Do not test—All freshmen arrive on campus  
no earlier than 11:30 A.M., period 1 begins at 11:50 A.M. 
· 10TH Grade- Do test—All sophomores arrive at the  
assigned testing room before 7:45 A.M. Students will receive  
their testing room assignments via email by Friday. 
· 11TH Grade- Do test if they signed up—Testers arrive at  
the assigned testing room before 7:45 A.M—students will  
receive their testing room assignments via email by Friday.  
Non-testers arrive on campus no earlier than 11:30 A.M. 
· 12TH Grade- Do not test—All seniors arrive on campus no  
earlier than 11:30 A.M., period 1 begins at 11:50 A.M.
PSAT Late Start Schedule: 
Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Testing Sessions 
7:45am- 11:15am

Lunch 
11:15am-11:50am 
(Includes passing time to 1st period)


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Period 1 11:50am-12:10pm 
Period 2 
12:16pm-12:36pm

Period 3 
12:42pm-1:02pm

Period4/5 
1:08-1:28pm

Period 6 
1:34pm-1:54pm

Period 7 
2:00pm-2:20pm

Buses will make two runs: the first at the usual time for test takers and the  second run will be 4 hours later. 
**Non-testers should not arrive on campus before 11:30am**


Homecoming Schedule 
Homecoming will take place next week, October 25-29. Additionally, please review the lineup of  events for next week.  
● Throughout the week Homecoming tickets will be sold via the bookstore for $25 for  presale. Students may still purchase tickets at the dance on Saturday, 10/30 for a fee of  $30 (cash ONLY).  
● Thursday, October 28, 2021 
○ Homecoming Guest Permission Slips/Guest COVID Waivers are due to Student  Services by 3:00 PM 
● Friday, October 29, 2021 
○ Homecoming Assembly for students during 2nd period
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○ Homecoming Parade, 4:00-5:00 pm (open to the public). Please see the parade  route below. 
○
○ Homecoming Football Game, 7:00-9:00pm at AHS Football field 
● Saturday, Oct 30, 2021 
○ Homecoming Dance, 7:00-10:00pm at AHS Main Gym 
○ Presale tickets are on sale at the bookstore for $25, tickets are $30 at the door ○ Guest Forms can be picked up from the front office or Student Services and must  be turned in before Thursday, October 28 at 3:00pm 
Next Coffee With the Principal Zoom Information: 11/10/2021, 9 am & 5 pm 
Please consider joining us for Coffee With Dr. J, which occurs every three weeks. This is  an opportunity to learn more about Arcadia High School, share feedback, and make new friends. Join Zoom Meeting 
https://zoom.us/j/96203700508?pwd=SENadVFRU3Z6eTRqRjdDMXBXS0lvdz09 A Word From Mrs. Pinto 
Senior Information 
Senior Checklist  
● Order Cap & Gown Extended deadline is November 1, 2021
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● FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) opened October 1, 2021. We  will host FAFSA nights for families both in English and Spanish. More information  will be sent later in the month. 
● Senior Scholarship Questionnaire - ASAP 
● Portraits (Prestige Portraits) - make-up dates are set for November 2 - 3, 2021 ● ASVAB - Click on the link to sign up - Test is on November 4, 2021 ● Yearbook Senior Ad Deadline is December 31, 2021 
● Check college application deadlines (early acceptance is October & regular  deadlines are November - January depending on the university/college) ● Recommendations for college applications (academic or counselor) - ask for  them 3 weeks prior to deadline 
● Transcripts official copies are $5 per transcript 
● College Visits - on campus in the College and Career Center 
● Remind text messages from College and Career Center - SENIORS text "pmyn"  to 81010 
● SAT or ACT - sign up  
● Scholarships - via Naviance (apply for November - January; watch for local  deadlines February - May) 
● Senior Survey (TBA) 
● Cap, Gown & Graduation Ticket Distribution (TBA) 
● Senior Honors & Awards (TBA) 
● Senior Breakfast (TBA) 
● Senior Parade (TBA) 
● Send FINAL TRANSCRIPT to college/university 
● Graduation - Arcadia Field - May 25, 2022 
● Project Grad - May 25, 2022 - Immediately following the Graduation Ceremony 
Senior Parent Group  
Fill out the form if you are interested in joining a senior parent group that will  meet at least once monthly to plan senior events, discuss senior issues and  support one another during your student's last year at Arcadia! 
504 Information:  
My assistant, Lisa Richards, is scheduling 504 review/initial meetings for the 2021-2022  school year based on their review date. If you want to schedule a meeting, please  contact her. 
Important Dual Enrollment dates for 2021-2022 
● Spring 2022 Deadlines:
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○ 2/11/22 - Deadline to submit Enrollment Steps Form 
○ 2/25/22 - Deadline to pay tuition 
Athletics: A Word From Mr. Sherren 
On 8/17/21 the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board voted to reinstate a mask  requirement indoors on all SUSD properties with the exception of those engaged in physical  activity. This indoor mask requirement has been extended for at least two weeks after return  from fall break. As a result, Student-Athletes, Coaches, Officials and Spectators will be  required to wear a mask indoors at all times at Arcadia, Chaparral, Coronado, Desert  Mountain, and Saguaro. Athletes warming up, or involved in the game, may remove their  mask but are required to wear them while on the bench. We appreciate your understanding  and support during these challenging times. 
Upcoming Events: 
★ Homecoming and AIA game of the week is 10/29/2021 
★ Winter Sports Begin 11/1/2021 communications on tryouts will be forthcoming. 
Any student athlete participating in tryouts, practices, or offseason workouts needs to be  coded “ready for tryouts” in Register My Athlete. 
Athletes and families should communicate with coaches about offseason workouts. 
All tickets for sporting events will be sold through GoFan again this year. No cash will be  accepted. 
Activity passes can be purchased through Intouch or at the Arcadia bookstore. 
A Word from Ms. Johnson  
Testing 
The 2021-2022 testing calendar can be found here. 
Civics Exam (Senior Update) 
If you have a senior who has not taken or passed the Civics Exam you received an email  from Ms. Johnson with information on how to take the exam. Here is a link to that letter. 
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Please note that passing the civics exam is a requirement for graduation in the state of  Arizona. A 60% passing rate (60 out of 100 questions) is necessary to meet this graduation  requirement. If you would like to schedule an appointment to take the exam independently  please contact Ms. Hochstatter, khochstatter@susd.org, or Ms. Johnson,  sarajohnson@susd.org.  
Test Prep Opportunities 
Arcadia is partnering with our friends at Revolution Prep to provide our students with the  opportunity to practice taking college admissions exams. A proctored practice exam is  the best way to get a real-time snapshot of testing performance in order to create a testing  plan. Please see below for a list of our test prep opportunities for the fall semester. Please  register here for any test prep sessions. 
ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL TEST PREP ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Please note that all events are virtual unless otherwise indicated as in person. Each event requires registration.  You may register at this link: https://www.revolutionprep.com/partners/14468/

Fall Semester Events

Test/Presentation 
Date 
Time 
Cost

Insider’s Guide to College  Admission Testing 
Parent Presentation Event
Wed, November 17, 2021 
6:00 p.m-7:30 p.m. 
FREE

Practice SAT/ACT Exam 
Sat, November 6, 2021 
9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 
$10.00

Practice SAT/ACT Exam 
Sat, November 13, 2021 
9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 
$10.00

PSAT/NMSQT®, Now What?  Parent Presentation 
Tues, December 14, 2021 
6:00 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. 
FREE


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Student Clubs and Activities Updates 
You may visit our school website to find a list of our current clubs, here is a direct link.  Please note that new clubs may be added throughout the year and students are welcome  to join clubs at any time.  
Counseling Update  
● Our freshman & sophomore evening will be held in person on Wednesday,  October 27th at 6pm. Due to numbers, this is a parent-only event.  
● Now that the first quarter is complete, please be sure to check your student’s grades  in ParentVue. We strongly encourage any students who are failing one or more  classes, or who have grades lower than desired, to attend FAST (Free After School  Tutoring) or a Saturday Catch-up session. FAST is held Monday through Thursday,  2:30-3:30, in the library and all are welcome. The next Saturday Catch-up session  will be held this Saturday, October 23rd.  
● Seniors who are completing their college applications through the Common App  or Coalition App need to select their application due dates in the system they are  using. If they need a recommendation letter from their counselor, they need to  inform their counselor as soon as possible. We require the completion of a rec  letter questionnaire and a minimum of three weeks notice prior to the due date to  write a recommendation letter. 
● We are now well past the deadline for schedule changes. Any class change will  now result in an F being entered on the transcript for the dropped class, regardless  of whether or not the student was passing the class at the time it was dropped. No  credit will be earned for the new class.  
Social and Emotional  
Our school district, in an effort to continue to be data driven, is asking that every campus  administer the Fast Bridge screener to help us better understand the social and emotional needs  of our Arcadia students. For high school students – the students can take the screener themselves.  We are planning to use the Arcadia News Network time during 2nd hour on October 28th to take a  short 1-3 minute questionnaire. 
Across all content areas (reading, math, other academic areas, physical health, etc.) educators use  assessments to determine strengths and needs so they can plan how to best teach and support  their students. Just as in universal screening for these content areas, SEL screening provides an  indicator of strengths and needs.
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Screening is a proactive approach in that it: 
· Identifies universal strengths and needs (Tier 1) 
· Informs strategy decisions for Tier 1 instruction and multitiered supports for higher levels  of need 
· Provides data to make informed decisions within a system aiming to improve student  outcomes 
Screening can help answer the following questions: 
How are our students doing? Are there certain groups whose needs are not being addressed?  What do we need to do to improve our educational system for all students? (e.g., materials,  scheduling, professional development). 
SUSD statement on Fast Bridge 
This social emotional screening program, which the Board voted to adopt, is used to evaluate  students’ overall general behavior, including, but not limited to, social, academic and emotional  behavior. Screening is typically completed within three minutes, with results available  immediately to parents and staff. These findings enable our teachers, social worker and guidance  counselor professionals to help identify students who may be in need of additional support and  intervention programs and to make that support available as early as possible. 
This screening tool is optional and one that parents have the choice to authorize for use with their  children each school year. 
Notwithstanding this, SUSD’s initial parent acknowledgment form incorrectly stated that the  FastBridge screener might ask for personal information about income, family matters, medical or  family medical history, mental health history and other categories of private information. 
To be clear, the FastBridge screener does not and has never sought this information. The  waiver form that initially appeared in ParentVUE as part of parents’ annual  acknowledgements was a standard waiver form that had not yet been properly tailored to  SUSD’s use. The form has since been amended to reflect the information that is actually collected. We apologize for this oversight and offer our assurances that SUSD does not  support, endorse or collect any family personal history information through FastBridge. 
Our first responsibility as a school district is to protect the safety and well-being of our students  and staff. We have been reminded during the pandemic that students are sensitive to the events  going on around them, especially those events that require us to alter our daily routines. This  past year and a half, particularly, has been a stressful one for them. 
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We also recognize that students do not fully engage in their learning when they do not feel safe  or secure. Further, in two years of Hanover surveys, SUSD parents have stressed to us how  important it is for schools to support their students’ social emotional learning. 
Our sole goal in acquiring FastBridge is to be able to support the whole child and offer help to  students sooner when we see that academic and behavioral issues in the classroom are limiting  their opportunities to learn and grow. To learn more about the FastBridge program, we invite  you to visit https://www.fastbridge.org/saebrs/. 
For any questions, comments, or concerns in regards to the Fast Bridge screener, please contact  Shannon Cronn at scronn@susd.org or Mathew Lins matthewlins@susd.org 
Este Programa de Diagnóstico Socioemocional, el cual la Junta votó para que se aprobase,  se emplea para evaluar en general el comportamiento total del estudiante, incluido, pero no  limitado al: comportamiento social, académico y emocional. Normalmente, el diagnóstico se  completa en tres minutos, con resultados disponibles de inmediato para los padres y el  personal. Los resultados les permiten a los maestros, al trabajador social y a los consejeros  profesionales ayudar a identificar a los estudiantes que pudiesen tener la necesidad de  apoyo adicional y programas de intervención y hacer que tal apoyo esté disponible lo más  antes posible. Esta herramienta de diagnóstico es opcional y es una que los padres tienen la  opción de autorizar para usarla con sus hijos cada año escolar. A pesar de esto, la hoja  inicial del Distrito, en que los padres aceptan el programa, establecía incorrectamente que  el diagnóstico FastBridge pudiese pedir información personal sobre ingresos, asuntos  familiares o historial médico, historial sobre la salud mental y otras categorías de  información privada. Para aclarar, el diagnóstico FastBridge no pide o nunca ha pedido o  solicitado esta información. Esta hoja de exención que originalmente apareció en  ParentVUE, como parte de aceptación anual de los padres, era una hoja estándar de  exención que todavía no se ha adaptado apropiadamente para el uso del SUSD. La hoja ha  sido, desde entonces, modificada para que refleje la información que se recopila  actualmente. Les pedimos disculpas por este descuido y les aseguramos que el SUSD no  apoya, promociona o recopila ninguna información del historial personal de la familia por  medio de FastBridge. Nuestra principal responsabilidad como distrito escolar es proteger  la seguridad y el bienestar de nuestros estudiantes y el personal. Se nos ha recordado  durante la pandemia que los estudiantes son sensibles a los eventos que se suscitan a su  alrededor, particularmente los eventos que hacen que tengamos que alterar nuestras  rutinas diarias. Esta año pasado y medio, en particular, fue estresante para ellos. Además,  reconocemos que los estudiantes no participan a plenitud en su aprendizaje cuando no se  sienten seguros o confiados. Asimismo, en los años de las encuestas de Hanover, los padres  del SUSD nos enfatizaron cuán importante era para las escuelas que se apoyase el  aprendizaje socioemocional de sus hijos. Nuestra única meta en obtener el FastBridge es el  poder brindarle apoyo al niño en su totalidad, y ofrecerles ayuda a los estudiantes lo antes 
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posible cuando veamos que los problemas académicos y del comportamiento en el aula les  limiten sus oportunidades de aprender y desarrollarse. Para enterarse más acerca del  Programa FastBridge, los invitamos a que revisen la página web:  
https://www.fastbridge.org/saebrs/. 
Whitney Hess MSW 
Arcadia High School Social Worker 
Mrs. Mynars - College and Career Center 
Upcoming College Visits: 
Monday October 25th - Loyola University Chicago, Washington State University, New York  Film Academy and Seattle University. 
Tuesday October 26th - Clemson University, Eastern New Mexico University, University of  Colorado Boulder and University of California. 
Wednesday October 27th - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Scottsdale Community  College. 
Thursday October 28th - US Air Force and Swarthmore College. 
Scholarship Opportunities:  
(You can find the list of all current scholarships on the Arcadia College and Career Website.) 
The AZ Milk Producers Reel Moments Video Scholarship Contest 
Simply create a “Reel” Milk Moment video, lasting 30 seconds or less, featuring your favorite real  dairy product(s). $18,000 in college scholarships: 1st Place-$8,000, 2nd Place-$6,000, 3rd Place- $4,000. 
Contest deadline runs through November 7th, 2021 
For more details visit: az.milk.co/contest 
AZ School Counselor Assoc. High School Scholarship 
The Arizona School Counselors Association awards three high school seniors a $1,000.00 non renewable scholarship to assist with post-secondary education costs. 
Eligibility: 
○ Must be a high school senior attending a public or private secondary school in the state  of Arizona.
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○ Must be a permanent resident of the state of Arizona. 
○ Must plan to attend a post-secondary institution during the 2022-2023 school year. ○ Must have a school counselor employed by your school who is an Arizona School  Counselors Association member. (Arcadia's counselors are all members of this  
association.) 
○ 500 Word Essay 
Deadline: November 12, 2021 @ 11:59pm 
To apply, click here 
Cooke College Scholarship 
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation 
The Cooke College Scholarship Program is an undergraduate program available to high achieving high school seniors with financial need.  
Eligibility: 
Graduate from a U.S. high school in spring 2022 
•Intend to enroll full time in an accredited four-year college beginning in fall 2022 •Earn a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.5 or above 
•Demonstrate unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with family income up to  $95,000. Last year’s cohort of new college scholarship recipients had a median family income of  approximately $35,000. 
Deadline to apply: November 18, 2021 at 11:59pm 
For more information click here. To apply, click here. 
Understanding FAFSA: 
Q: Why is the FAFSA application important? Do I need to fill it out? 
A: The FAFSA (or Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is important because completing this  form is the only way to receive state and federal financial aid. 
Completing the FAFSA is the single most important step that you can take to get financial aid. By completing the FAFSA, you are applying for most types of financial aid. 
Completing the FAFSA does not obligate students or parents to accept student loans or any  other form of financial aid. 
The FAFSA can be a bit complicated and most students will need help from a parent in order to  complete the form. 
The best way to complete the FAFSA is online at www.fafsa.ed.gov
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By completing the FAFSA online you will have access to help when you need it and you can cut weeks off the amount of time it takes to process the form. 
Although tax information from last year is required to complete the form, you do not have to  wait until you and your parents have filed your tax returns. The FAFSA allows applicants to  estimate the information and correct it once taxes are completed. 
The FAFSA Application opens on October 1st each year. Students do not have to wait to apply  for financial aid until they have been accepted for admission to the college. 
Students should not assume they are not eligible for financial aid. The FAFSA is necessary for  many scholarships and student loans as well. Most families can qualify for federal financial aid  regardless of income or assets. Everyone should apply. 
Student Government 
CURRENT PLANS: 
● Homecoming Week 10/25-10/29 
● Homecoming Assembly 10/29 
● Homecoming Parade 10/29 @ 4pm 
● Homecoming Dance 10/30

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​October 8, 2021

Dear Scottsdale Unified School District Parents and Guardians,
We reach a significant milestone today with the end of the first quarter of the 2021-2022 school year. The year began in August with many questions. At times, it seemed that for every one question that was answered, four more arose. We want you to know that we are grateful to be working with you every day to resolve issues as they arise and in a way that
makes sense for your students, our teachers and staff, and the district, and that provides us all
with a path forward. Thank you.

Community Update
This week, SUSD opened a drive-thru, COVID-19 surveillance and diagnostic testing site at Cherokee Elementary School, 8801 N. 56th St., Paradise Valley, for all SUSD families and district employees. A similar site will open Monday, October 11, in the Navajo Elementary School community at Open Arms Church, 4640 N. Granite Reef Rd., Scottsdale. This testing
partnership with InOffice Diagnostics is offered at no out-of-pocket cost to families or the district. Testing is completely voluntary. Both sites are open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Read more about the program here.

In monitoring the data from the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, there is an interesting trend that is different from what is being seen in other parts of the country. During the early summer, many states in the Southeast saw tremendous surges in cases, followed by a steep decline more recently. Arizona saw a similar spike in cases beginning in July, but rather than a steep decline, we have since seen a plateauing of cases. While we had hoped for a quick return to moderate transmission levels, SUSD’s zip codes remain at the High transmission level. The number of active cases in or buildings remains relatively constant. The Pfizer request for emergency use authorization for children 5-11 years old has been submitted to the FDA, with a hearing scheduled for October 26. It is possible that families will have the option to get the vaccine for their elementary-aged children by early November.

School Volunteers
In last week’s parent letter, we advised you of plans to begin welcoming classroom volunteers at our 28 school campuses after Fall Break. We have been pleased with your eagerness to give our teachers and office staff those much-appreciated extra sets of helping hands!

As a reminder: 1) Principals determine their school’s specific volunteer needs and 2) you must go through our Human Resources (HR) Department in order to be an indoor classroom or outdoor school volunteer. To complete the volunteer application, please go to the Human Resources Volunteer page of the SUSD website. We require proof of vaccination to be able to volunteer indoors. Additionally, please note that all indoor volunteers are required to wear face masks, per SUSD’s mitigation plan. We ask that you please be patient while we process the large number of applications that have been submitted to date.

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This indoor volunteering opportunity is also being made available to those who have natural
immunity to COVID-19. SUSD will require signed and dated documentation of a recent,
positive PCR or antigen test or of a physician’s COVID-19 diagnosis. This documentation also
must be submitted to the HR Department.
Support Services Newsletter
The October edition of our Support Services Department’s monthly newsletter is now available.
This month’s newsletter contains information about the nation’s oldest and largest drug
prevention program, called Red Ribbon Week, that this year occurs the week of October 23-31.
You will also find information about upcoming presentations, webinars and workshops offered
by community social service agencies regarding many social issues facing our youth that are
concerning to all of us.
New SUSD Committee Seeking Volunteers
The SUSD Finance Department is recruiting volunteers for its newly established Capital
Planning Committee. This new panel will review current and anticipated capital funding for
the next five years. If you are interested in serving on this new SUSD committee, please
complete the application. To read about the work of ongoing district committees, go to
www.susd.org/Committees.
Seminar for Parents of Gifted Children
On Tuesday, October 19, we invite you to join our first seminar of the school year designed
especially for the parents of gifted students. SUSD Director of Gifted and Accelerated
Learning Karen Brown hosts and will provide an overview of the district’s gifted services and
how they support the unique academic and social/emotional needs of our gifted learners. This
90-minute Zoom seminar gets underway at 6 p.m.
Please be advised that in addition to our schools, all SUSD offices are closed next week. We
wish all of our families a fun and safe Fall Break, and we’ll see you next on Monday, October
18!
Best regards,
Scottsdale Unified School District Cabinet and Leadership Team
- - -
Community COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Resources
SUSD continues to partner with Embry Health, which operates three, convenient COVID testing
sites in the SUSD community:
• Oak Learning Academy campus, 7501 E. Oak St., Scottsdale - open from 7 a.m. to 7
p.m., Monday through Friday
• Chaparral Business Center, 8840 E. Chaparral Rd., Scottsdale – open from 7 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., 7 days a week
• Phoenix Camelback Seventh-day Adventist Church, 5902 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix –
open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday thru Friday

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COVID-19 vaccinations are widely available throughout our community at both stand-alone
pharmacies, such as Walgreen’s and CVS, and at pharmacies located inside major grocery
stores. They also do COVID testing on-site.
Albertsons: https://www.albertsons.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html
Costco: https://www.costco.com/covid-vaccine.html
CVS: https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine?icid=cvs-home-hero1-link1-
coronavirus-vaccine
Fry’s: https://www.frysfood.com/rx/covid-eligibility
Ranch Pharmacy: 10769 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale
Safeway: https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html
Walgreens: https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp
Other community vaccination resources:
NOAH - Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health: https://noahhelps.org/covid-vaccine/
Maricopa County Department of Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine
Locations: https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations
Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 Vaccine
Locations: https://www.azdhs.gov/covid19/vaccines/index.php#find-vaccines

October 1, 2021
Dear Scottsdale Unified Families,
As we prepare to close out our first quarter of learning, several of our middle school and high school chorus, orchestra and band students are looking forward to sharing performances next week with their families and learning communities.
It is also that time of year that the prospect of graduating from high school in May starts getting more 'real' for our senior class. Today marks the annual opening of the FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), as well as the College Board's CSS Profile, used by many of the nation's more selective public or private colleges to determine tuition aid. Seniors' families are encouraged to apply early to be first in line for grants, loans and work study programs to help offset the cost of a college education. This is also a time when we are reminded of the year-round work of our high school guidance counselors and College and Career Center staff who support students throughout their high school careers, not just during their senior year. These future-inspiring staff give students the confidence to dream big as they contemplate life after high school. We look forward to reporting to you in eight months what is next for the SUSD Class of 2022!
Community Update
As you know, we continue to follow the guidance of the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and require masks for students and staff while inside on school property.  Also, per federal rule, students who choose to ride an SUSD bus continue to be required to wear masks while on the bus.
Mask Accommodation Requests
SUSD will provide appropriate and reasonable accommodation to the indoor mask requirement for those students who have a demonstrated need. Requests for accommodation by parents, guardians or students over the age of 18 must be made no later than 5:00 p.m., October 8, 2021, which is a week from today. The online request in English can be found here; this is the link to complete the form in Spanish.
COVID transmission in the SUSD 15 zip codes remains at a high level, with case counts per 100,000 increasing this week, while the % positivity dipped back into the substantial transmission level, at 9.9%.  There was a small uptick in campus cases this past week.
SUSD Quarantine Learning Support Website
The SUSD Teaching and Learning Department has created a 'one-stop shop' to simplify and expedite academic support for students who are learning from home due to COVID, COVID-like illness or quarantine. The SUSD Quarantine Learning Support website, launched this week, gives parents and students immediate access to learning resources and keeps learners connected with their classes and schools while they are away from the classroom and after they return.
School Volunteers
We know that many of you have been itching to resume volunteering at your students' schools and in their classrooms. We are happy to announce that following Fall Break, we will be able to welcome parents back to our campuses in this role for the first time in 19 months! The number of volunteers will be determined by each school's principal, based on need. In an effort to maintain the safety of all students and staff, volunteers will be required to be masked while indoors and must register in advance with the SUSD Human Resources Department. At this time, proof of COVID vaccination is required, but we are considering other possible criteria, as well, that would also protect the health of our students and staff. Please visit the Human Resources Volunteer page of the SUSD website for more information, or call 480-484-6224.
Bullying Prevention Month
October is national Bullying Prevention Month. Regardless of the month, Scottsdale Unified School District and its Governing Board are committed to providing a learning environment that is free from harassment or bullying in any form. A plethora of anti-bullying information and resources is available for your reference anytime on SUSD Support Services' Bullying page, www.susd.org/BullyPrevention. We also encourage you to take part in a virtual presentation next Wednesday, October 6, at 6 p.m., sponsored by SUSD, the Arizona Attorney General's Office and the Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family, on how to stop bullying.  The hour-long presentation will cover the various types of bullying, including cyberbullying; the terrible, negative impacts of bullying; and what we can do about it.  Sign up for the presentation here.
This Week's Governing Board Meeting
We feel it necessary to comment on something that happened during the Governing Board's regular monthly meeting Tuesday. Members of Student Advisory Board (SAB), a group of SUSD high school students that meets monthly to discuss and report student concerns and issues to district leadership, reported the results of a recent student survey about the new school year to the Board. At one point, the students' presentation was disrupted by dismissive laughter from some members of the audience. That type of behavior and complete lack of respect for our students is unacceptable anywhere, anytime. As adults, it falls on us to model for our students how differences of opinion and perspective can be debated respectfully and civilly.  We hope you will join us in that ongoing effort.
SUSD Foundation Event Next Week
One of our school district's most ardent community supporters, the Scottsdale Unified School District Foundation (SUSDF), hosts its second annual, virtual, "It's All Fun and Games Night" next Thursday evening, October 7. In addition to showing off the skills and talents of SUSD students, this SUSDF event brings a ton of fun directly to your living room, all in a community-minded effort to support a variety of district programs, teacher National Board Certification and student scholarships. Find out how to join in the fun here.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Scottsdale Unified School District Cabinet and Leadership Team
- - -
Community COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Resources
SUSD continues to partner with Embry Health, which operates three, convenient COVID testing sites in the SUSD community:

• Oak Learning Academy campus, 7501 E. Oak St., Scottsdale - open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday
• Chaparral Business Center, 8840 E. Chaparral Rd., Scottsdale - open from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7 days a week
• Phoenix Camelback Seventh-day Adventist Church, 5902 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix - open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday thru Friday

COVID-19 vaccinations are widely available throughout our community at both stand-alone pharmacies, such as Walgreen's and CVS, and at pharmacies located inside major grocery stores. They also do COVID testing on-site.
Albertsons:  https://www.albertsons.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html
Costco:  https://www.costco.com/covid-vaccine.html
CVS:  https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine?icid=cvs-home-hero1-link1-coronavirus-vaccine
Fry's:  https://www.frysfood.com/rx/covid-eligibility
Ranch Pharmacy:  10769 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale
Safeway:  https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html
Walgreens:  https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp
Other community vaccination resources:
NOAH - Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health: https://noahhelps.org/covid-vaccine/
Maricopa County Department of Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Locations:
https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations
Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 Vaccine Locations:
https://www.azdhs.gov/covid19/vaccines/index.php#find-vaccines

A Word From Dr. J 
I hope all is well with everyone and that your children are off to a great start. I am happy  to share that our COVID-19 cases have declined since our last update. We continue to watch our  cases closely and we will continue to update the SUSD dashboard. One of our mitigation  strategies has been to add outdoor seating throughout the campus. We have added 450 new  chairs over the past two years. The feedback we have received is that our students love the new  chairs. 
In the next month, we will honor and celebrate our students who qualified for the AHS  Principal’s List for the second semester of the 2021 school year. This is a great honor to receive  and is a way for us to show our appreciation to students for all their hard work. 
We are asking for a little help at the end of the day regarding students being called out of  class. It is challenging to check out students that close to the end of the school day. If you must  pick up your child after 2:00 pm for an appointment, please call ahead so that we can assist  better. 
We have a request from one of our feeder school principals, Mrs. Jagodzinski: 
Hopi Elementary is looking for a community site council representative. If you are  interested, please complete the form below. Thank you for considering this important role. 
https://forms.gle/jwVytevcke6aiwep8 
Please consider joining us for Coffee With Dr. J, which occurs every three weeks. This is  an opportunity to learn more about Arcadia High School, share feedback, and make new friends. 
Next Coffee With the Principal Zoom Information: 9/22/2021, 9 am & 5 pm 
Join Zoom Meeting 
https://zoom.us/j/96203700508?pwd=SENadVFRU3Z6eTRqRjdDMXBXS0lvdz09 A Word From Mrs. Pinto 
504 Information:  
My assistant, Lisa Richards, has begun scheduling 504 review/initial meetings for the 2021-2022  school year based on their review date. 


Important Dual Enrollment dates for 2021-2022 
● Fall 2021 Deadlines: 
○ 10/1/21 - Deadline to pay tuition 
● Spring 2022 Deadlines: 
○ 2/11/22 - Deadline to submit Enrollment Steps Form 
○ 2/25/22 - Deadline to pay tuition 
Senior Information: 
Portraits (Prestige Portraits) 
● Communication was sent out on 9/13 to students and parents 
● The Arcadia campus make-up dates are set for 11/2 and 11/3 
Athletics: A Word From Mr. Sherren 
On 8/17/21 the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board voted to reinstate a mask  requirement indoors on all SUSD properties with the exception of those engaged in physical  activity. This indoor mask requirement began on 8/20/21 and expires on 9/29/21, pending an  action that would end the requirement sooner or extend it. As a result, student-athletes, coaches,  officials and spectators will be required to wear a mask indoors at all times at Arcadia,  Chaparral, Coronado, Desert Mountain, and Saguaro. Athletes warming up, or involved in the  game, may remove their mask but are required to wear them while on the bench. We appreciate  your understanding and support during these challenging times. 
● Any student athlete participating in tryouts, practices, or offseason workouts needs to be  coded “ready for tryouts” in Register My Athlete. 
● Athletes and families should communicate with coaches about offseason workouts.
● All tickets for sporting events will be sold through GoFan again this year. No cash will be  accepted. 
● Activity passes can be purchased through Intouch or at the Arcadia bookstore. 
A Word from Ms. Johnson  
Testing 
The 2021-2022 testing calendar can be found here. 
Civics Exam (Senior Update) 
If you have a senior who has not taken or passed the Civics Exam you received an email from  Ms. Johnson with information on how to take the exam. Here is a link to that letter. Please note  that passing the civics exam is a requirement for graduation in the state of Arizona. A 60%  passing rate (60 out of 100 questions) is necessary to meet this graduation requirement. If you  would like to schedule an appointment to take the exam independently please contact Ms.  Hochstatter, khochstatter@susd.org, or Ms. Johnson, sarajohnson@susd.org.  Test Prep Opportunities 
Arcadia is partnering with our friends at Revolution Prep to provide our students with the  opportunity to practice taking college admissions exams. A proctored practice exam is the best  way to get a real-time snapshot of testing performance in order to create a testing plan. Please see  below for a list of our test prep opportunities for the fall semester. Please register here for any  test prep sessions. 


ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL TEST PREP ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Please note that all events are virtual unless otherwise indicated as in person. Each event requires  registration. You may register at this link: https://www.revolutionprep.com/partners/14468/

Fall Semester Events

Test/Presentation 
Date 
Time 
Cost

Practice PSAT Exam 
Sat, September 11, 2021 
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m 
$10.00

Practice PSAT Exam 
Sat, September 18, 2021 
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m 
$10.00

PSAT 1O1 Workshop 
Sat, September 25, 2021 
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 
FREE

Insider’s Guide to College  Admission Testing 
Parent Presentation Event
Wed, November 17, 2021 
6:00 p.m-7:30 p.m. 
FREE

Practice SAT/ACT Exam 
Sat, November 6, 2021 
9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 
$10.00

Practice SAT/ACT Exam 
Sat, November 13, 2021 
9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 
$10.00

PSAT/NMSQT®, Now What?  Parent Presentation 
Tues, December 14, 2021 
6:00 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. 
FREE


Student Clubs and Activities Updates 
You may visit our school website to find a list of our current clubs, here is a direct link. Please  note that new clubs may be added throughout the year and students are welcome to join clubs at  any time.  
Counseling Update  
● We are continuing our senior meetings. These have been held individually with our  seniors and will continue over the course of the coming weeks. Please be patient as we  schedule these appointments.


Social and Emotional  
Listen to music: Music is powerful and universal, listening to music is a great way to relieve  stress. Students can play classical music while studying, play upbeat music to “wake up”  mentally, or slow songs to bring calm. 
For more information on how to manage stress, please check out the Support Services April  Newsletter: https://www.susd.org/SupportServices 
Whitney Hess, Arcadia’s Social Worker, is always available Monday-Friday from 745am 3pm, just ask to set up a time to meet by emailing whess@susd.org  
Whitney Hess MSW 
Arcadia High School Social Worker 
Mrs. Mynars - College and Career Center 
Upcoming College Visits: Students will sign up in Naviance for a visit they want to attend. 
Sept. 20th Pepperdine University - 8:45am, in person visit 
Sept. 21st St. Louis University - 8:45am, in-person visit  
Sept. 21st University of Connecticut - 10:50am, virtual visit 
Sept. 21st Fort Lewis College (CO) - 12:25pm, in-person visit 
Sept. 21st University of Colorado/Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus - 1:25pm, virtual visit Sept. 23rd ASU Barrett - 10:50am, virtual visit 
Sept. 23rd Gettysburg College (PA) - 1:25pm, virtual visit 
Sept. 24th Eckerd College - 9:50am, in person visit 
Sept. 27th University of Wisconsin - 8:45am, virtual visit 
Sept. 27th Central College, Iowa - 10:50am, in-person visit 
Sept. 27th Temple University, Japan - 1:25pm, virtual visit 
Sept. 28th Southern Methodist University (TX) - 8:45am, in-person visit. 
ASU Project Humanities Contest. Project Humanities is excited to announce 4 creative  contests open to anyone currently attending high school or enrolled in a GED program in  Arizona. The winner of each of the 4 areas will receive $500 and will be recognized on live  video stream in November 2021 during the culminating 10th anniversary Awards celebration  event.


For more information: https://projecthumanities.asu.edu/10th-year 
anniversary#REFCODE1 (Scroll towards bottom of page and click on the “connecting” link,  then click on Ambassadorships and contest) 
Application Deadline: 12:00pm/noon (MST/AZ) on Monday, September 20, 2021 
Flinn Scholarship is now open. With Arizona’s universities, we created the Flinn Scholarship,  worth more than $120,000 to give students a world-class education. 
Deadline to apply is Sept. 27th. 
Click here to apply: https://flinn.org/flinn-scholars/the-scholarship/apply/ 
The Heisman High School Scholarship is now open. Top national scholarship is $10,000 to  one male and one female. Top state scholarship is $1,000 to one male and one female. Among  the top from each state, 12 will be identified as national finalists and win at least $2,000.  Deadline to apply is October 19th.  
Click here to apply: https://heismanscholarship.com/ 
The AZ Milk Producers Reel Moments Video Scholarship Contest is now open. Simply  create a “Reel” Milk Moment video, lasting 30 seconds or less, featuring your favorite real dairy  product(s). $18,000 in college scholarships: 1st Place-$8,000, 2nd Place-$6,000,  3rd Place-$4,000. 
Contest deadline runs through November 7th, 2021 
For more details visit: az.milk.co/contest 
NROTC High School Scholarship The NROTC Scholarship Program offers students the  opportunity to earn their degree and receive valuable leadership and management skills. 
Benefits of NROTC: 
● Free college tuition 
● $250-$400 a month tax-free spending money 
● NROTC Units are located at over 170 leading colleges and universities ● 100% employment upon graduation 
● Opportunity to lead and manage personnel 
● Unlimited travel opportunities 
● 30 days paid vacation earned annually 
● Excellent medical/dental benefits 
Deadline to apply: No later than January 21, 2022 
Best to apply early as the board begins review of applicants starting October, 2021. For more information please visit NROTC website. You can apply here.

Understanding FAFSA: 
Q: Why is the FAFSA application important? Do I need to fill it out? 
A: The FAFSA (or Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is important because completing  this form is the only way to receive state and federal financial aid. 
Completing the FAFSA is the single most important step that you can take to get financial aid.  By completing the FAFSA, you are applying for most types of financial aid. 
Completing the FAFSA does not obligate students or parents to accept student loans or any other  form of financial aid. 
The FAFSA can be a bit complicated and most students will need help from a parent in order to  complete the form. 
The best way to complete the FAFSA is online at www.fafsa.ed.gov 
By completing the FAFSA online you will have access to help when you need it and you can cut  weeks off the amount of time it takes to process the form. 
Although tax information from last year is required to complete the form, you do not have to  wait until you and your parents have filed your tax returns. The FAFSA allows applicants to  estimate the information and correct it once taxes are completed. 
The FAFSA Application opens on October 1st each year. Students do not have to wait to apply  for financial aid until they have been accepted for admission to the college. 
Students should not assume they are not eligible for financial aid. The FAFSA is necessary for  many scholarships and student loans as well. Most families can qualify for federal financial aid  regardless of income or assets. Everyone should apply. 
Student Government 
CURRENT PLANS: 
Suicide Prevention Awareness Resource Fair 9/21 
MOD Fundraiser 9/29 
PBIS Videos will be made to be shown virtually (instead of assembly) 
Red Ribbon Week 10/18-10/22 
Homecoming Parade 10/29 @ 4pm 
Homecoming Dance 10/30

​

September 17, 2021
Dear Scottsdale Unified Families,
We've closed out another great week in SUSD, one of students learning new things and putting that learning into action, one of celebrating students and staff, and one of continuing to come together as the strong community that we are.
We learned this week that 20 of our academically talented high school seniors are Semifinalists in the 2022 National Merit® Scholarship Program. This esteemed program initially selects students based on their performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) that they took as juniors. In order to move to Finalist status and become eligible for one of nearly 7,500 scholarships worth nearly $30 million next spring, the semifinalists must complete a thorough application that looks at not only their academic record and scores on college entrance tests, but also their participation in school and community activities in which they have demonstrated leadership. We want to wish the following students well as this path proceeds:
Arcadia High School: William Logue, Grace Reed, Elsa Steen Koppell
Chaparral High School: Grace Dunn, Jeremy Lee, Dashram Pai
Desert Mountain High School:  Dhruv Adha, Bella Agarwal, Eric Amkraut, Paige Baldus, Ryan Johnson, Camden Kross, Maya Leis, Brendan Mawk, Rakshak Shah, Yeju Srivastava, Eleanor Wang, Jiatian Yim
Saguaro High School:  Colin Hutton, Kennan McAndrews
At this week's Governing Board Special meeting, we were pleased to recognize two SUSD employees. Both celebrations were heartfelt and stirring, and made us realize once again the impact of the work of our dedicated and resourceful staff.

• Mountainside Middle School Security Officer Vincent Salus was recognized for his recent heroic effort in assisting a student who was choking at lunchtime.

• Chaparral High School Guidance Counselor Leslie Rold was recognized for having been named a 2021 Yale Educator. Mrs. Rold was nominated by a Class of 2021 Firebird who is a freshman at Yale this fall and whom she had advised on college and career plans.

We are also celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) and the many- faceted and rich contributions of the Hispanic culture to our society.
Community Update
This week, the COVID-positive rate was relatively flat and remains in the substantial category, but the number of cases per/100,000 increased slightly and remains in the high transmission level. Thankfully, the number of active cases on our campuses is under 50 for a second consecutive week. While the total is higher than the week prior, this week's number reflects a four-day reporting period - the prior week was three because of the extended Labor Day holiday weekend.
As a result of modifying our mitigation strategies last month, including not requiring masked, close contacts to quarantine unless they are experiencing COVID or COVID-like symptoms, we have been able to reduce the number of students who are missing school, and that's a good thing. In the four weeks since August 20, we have not seen positive cases among masked students who were close contacts. We thank you again for your continued support.
Getting Back to 'Normal'
We continue to review opportunities for volunteers to return to our school campuses. Recently, we decided to allow vaccinated volunteers to volunteer for outside activities, at principal discretion. We're looking at taking that a step farther in the coming weeks and allowing volunteers back in classrooms. Individuals interested in volunteering need to work with SUSD Human Resources to submit the necessary paperwork.
We are also pleased to report that our high school fall theater season gets underway next week with the production at Chaparral of Clue on Stage and, the following week, at Desert Mountain with an adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey.
Varsity Tutors
If your child is or has been home as a part of quarantine during this school year, is ill due to COVID-19 or a COVID-like illness, or could just use a little extra learning support, we invite you to use Varsity Tutors. Scottsdale Unified School District has partnered with Varsity Tutors as one strategy to provide additional support to our students whose learning has been impacted by the pandemic. Varsity Tutors provides 1:1, individualized, virtual tutoring in the subject area(s) your student needs, on your schedule.
Please fill out the interest form to access six hours of free tutoring. In order to initiate the tutoring, you will need to complete this Varsity Tutor Permission Slip. Once you have submitted the permission slip, you will receive an email from Varsity Tutors within 48 hours to set up your student's tutoring time. Students will access their tutoring hours by logging in to Single Sign-on, then Clever, then Varsity Tutors. Parents will communicate directly with Varsity Tutors to set up a date and time for tutoring sessions.
Athletics
Athletics are in full swing in SUSD, and we are excited to be able to provide these exciting opportunities for our students. Please keep in mind that we do have an indoor mask requirement for now and appreciate your cooperation if you choose to attend one of our indoor events. Our goal is to continue to provide in-person instruction, and we appreciate our athletic stakeholders' support of those efforts.
Thank you,
Scottsdale Unified School District Cabinet and Leadership Team
- - -
Community COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Resources
SUSD continues to partner with Embry Health, which operates three, convenient COVID testing sites in the SUSD community:

• Oak Learning Academy campus, 7501 E. Oak St., Scottsdale - open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday
• Chaparral Business Center, 8840 E. Chaparral Rd., Scottsdale - open from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7 days a week
• Phoenix Camelback Seventh-day Adventist Church, 5902 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix - open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday thru Friday

COVID-19 vaccinations are widely available throughout our community at both stand-alone pharmacies, such as Walgreen's and CVS, and at pharmacies located inside major grocery stores. They also do COVID testing on-site.
Albertsons:  https://www.albertsons.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html
Costco:  https://www.costco.com/covid-vaccine.html
CVS:  https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine?icid=cvs-home-hero1-link1-coronavirus-vaccine
Fry's:  https://www.frysfood.com/rx/covid-eligibility
Ranch Pharmacy:  10769 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale
Safeway:  https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html
Walgreens:  https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp
Other community vaccination resources:
NOAH - Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health: https://noahhelps.org/covid-vaccine/
Maricopa County Department of Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Locations:  https://www.maricopa.gov/5659/COVID-19-Vaccine-Locations
Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 Vaccine Locations:
https://www.azdhs.gov/covid19/vaccines/index.php#find-vaccines

The Arcadia PTO reimburses teachers and some staff member positions up to $200 (as of August 2021) for school related expenses. We know it's a sad reality that many teachers and staff feel they must dip into their own pockets to pay for items they need  in their classrooms or to perform their jobs, and we hope we can lessen that burden. PTO membership and fundraising helps to support this critical way to support our AHS teachers & staff.

The PTO also takes into consideration funding requests outside of the $200 allowance from teachers, after the proposal has been approved by the AHS Principal.  Larger expensed items for classrooms, departments, conferences, etc are something that we encourage staff members to bring the PTO.  Please include as much information as possible for a faster decision.

HOW TO RECEIVE A REIMBURSEMENT:

• Receipt copies (either physical or digital photos) are REQUIRED to be reimbursed for tax purposes.
• Reimbursement can only be for items used for the purpose of your classroom or work with students.
• Deadlines - For bookkeeping purposes, receipts must be turned in before the end of each semester for reimbursement. Receipts turned into the PTO after the deadline cannot be reimbursed, regardless of when the receipt purchase date was.
• Either complete the paper form  CLICK HERE   or   complete online form  COMING SOON   to begin the process

If you have any questions, please contact the PTO Treasurer at treasurer@arcadiapto.org

​Before I introduce myself, I wanted to reflect on the PTO accomplishments during COVID last year. Even though we were not able to have volunteers on campus, we were fortunate to be able to assist the AHS community in the follow ways:

•  Supply the school with a John Deere Gator
•  Provide picnic tables and a beautiful painted ‘ARCADIA’ mural
•  Give monthly Grab and Go meals and gifts to the teachers and staff
•  Support students during Saturday Catchup rooms with snacks and drinks
•  Fulfill teacher funding requests
•  Provide monetary donations to both Snowstorm and senior Project Grad
•  Pull off an online Auction like no other

Not bad for a year with so much uncertainty!

My name is Kim Kleski and I am your PTO president this year. I have one daughter who is a sophomore this year at AHS and have lived in the neighborhood for 20 years. My husband and I love AHS for so many reasons, but mostly for the Titan community and families who make our school what it is today. My goal as PTO president is to continue support of our parents, school, and community to make 2021-2022 a great year!

The PTO is looking forward to again providing enhanced support for education programs and
extracurricular activities. We will continue the following traditions as well:

•  Support staff during registration days
•  Monthly teacher meals
•  Catchup room snacks
•  One lunch assistance
•  Snacks for Coffee with Cain
•  Titan of the month Celebrations
•  Campus beautification projects
•  Snowstorm, Spring Auction
•  Individual teacher allowance
•  Funding for Homecoming and Senior Activities

In order to make all of these happen we need your assistance. Please take a moment to join the PTO and sign up to volunteer. Volunteering and getting involved at AHS will not just benefit your child and their teachers, it will benefit you! It is well known that those who volunteer are physically healthier and emotionally happier. So do yourself a favor and sign up today!

Titan Strong,
Kim Kleski – PTO President 2021-22

Important Dates
Red text indicates latest updates

July 19th  --  Online Registration Forms Online  at https://synergyvue.susd.org/  (contact AHS to create account )
July 21 + 22nd  --  Campcadia 2 day camp for new students  click here to learn more
July 25th WEEK  --  Online Payments available  at  https://touchbase.susd.org/
July  26th  --  Registration   --  Senior
July  27th  --  Registration   --  Juniors
July  29th  --  Registration   --  Sophomores
July 29th  6pm   --  ONLINE Q&A with Dr. J  -- Microsoft Teams link shared closer to event
July  30th  --  Registration   --  ​Freshmen
      **If you have more than one student, you can register all your students together
August 3rd  --  Back to School Teacher Breakfast  CLICK HERE TO HELP

August 4th  --  First Day of School see schedule below
          Freshmen Activities 7:45 - 11:20 -- 9th grade arrive (parents invited)
          Lunch: 11:20 - 11:45
          Period 1: 11:50 - 12:10 -- 10th, 11th, 12th grade arrive
          Period 2: 12:16 - 12:36
          Period 3: 12:42 - 1:02
          Period 4: 1:08 - 1:28
          Period 6: 1:34 - 1:54
          Period 7: 2:00 - 2:20 

August 11th  --  1st Coffee with Cain  9am in person,  5pm virtual

PARENTVUE
Scottsdale Unified School District uses ParentVUE and StudentVUE to help parents monitor the academic progress of their students. To create an account, parents will need to contact their school to obtain their Activation Key letter. This letter provides instructions on creating their account. Students must be currently active in the district.  If you forgot your password, you may initiate a password reset request at the login screen by clicking the More Options link. If you don't receive the email, your account may be disabled. For assistance accessing your account, please call 480-484-HELP (4357), Option 1.
- LOG IN ONLINE TO PARENTVUE or STUDENTVUE - www.susd.org/Page/4200
- INSTALL APP ON YOUR PHONE - Search your APP STORE for Parentvue or Studentvue

CAMPCADIA
As of Summer of 2019, the Arcadia Administration started a great 2 day back to school camp for students new to AHS. It includes tours of campus and basic information about being a student at Arcadia.  It's a great experience that is unique to Arcadia High School. There is a cost to enroll to pay for facility costs (AC, etc) but check with the office for scholarships available for students in need of a little financial assistance.  Search for Campcadia on our website or at susd.org/arcadia to see if it's available this year!
​
SUPPLY LIST
Is there a supply list? What does my student need for the first day of school?
No, there is not a supply list for AHS as of Fall 2017. Teachers each create their own supply list to be handed out during the first week, depending on their class. Some teachers want their own binder, some don't. ​Be prepared to shop the first week of school! Most teachers give 1 week for students to acquire their supplies.

To be prepared we recommend this generic list for the first week of school.

• 3 Ring Binder   something that can hold paper for notes + handouts they will receive
• Tabbed Dividers in binder  you might need multiple sets if your teacher requires a separate binder
• 3 Ring College Ruled Paper
• 3 Ring Graph Paper
• Pencils (+ sharpener if wood)
• Blue, Black, Red Pens
• Highlighters   some teachers might get specific with the colors you need

SPIRITWEAR
Where & When can I buy an AHS tshirt?
Thank you for your excitement! Spiritwear is sold in the following ways:

• STUGO Class Tshirts - Designed & sold at Registration by STUGO along with some other options for any students that would like them, but they are not required to purchase.
• Sports Booster Clubs - Created and sold mainly by sports parent booster clubs as their season approaches.  That doesn't mean the designs are just for that sport, however.  Football Boosters sell many options at their games. Some boosters offer sales online thru the year and sometimes advertise in the AHS eBlast. 
• Market Days - Twice a year we host Market Days where students create & sell items during the lunch hour. Spiritwear like tshirts and sweatshirts are popular. The design and availability is limited.
• School Book Store - Leftover spiritwear from past years is sold here, but supplies are limited and usually not the more popular items.
• Target has also had AHS spiritwear for sale as well.  Arcadia does not benefit from those sales.

LUNCH
Where do students eat lunch?
There are not any "official" places, but the students have created their own grade level spaces over the years.

• Freshmen -  Under & Around Mount Olympus
• Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors - Cafeteria
• Many students eat lunch in classrooms as well with the permission of the teacher.
• Social clubs commonly meet during lunch for their activities in classrooms or the library.

Where do students  buy lunch?
During the 2021-22 school year, adjustments have been made for Covid.

• SUSD has made lunch free to all students for the 2021-22 school year.  CLICK HERE TO SEE LUNCH MENU
  
• There are no options to purchase additional food or drink, aside from vending machines around campus.
  
• The CAFETERIA is the only place to get lunch.

During a normal year, there are 3 places to buy lunch

1. Cafeteria  for hot & cold food options + drinks.
2. Kiosk for hot & cold food options + drinks. (student ID & cash accepted).
3. Cart has salads, cold drinks, and more. No hot items.  (cash only).

How to I add money to my child's ID?

• Titan Family Portal - If you need to create an account or add money so your child can purchase lunch with his/her ID go to Titan Family Portal. SEE MORE INFORMATION HERE.

BUS
​I need to take the bus, where is it?

• The buses line up BEHIND the school (on the east side).
• As of August 2017, find your bus route at https://www.infofinderi.com/ifi/?cid=SUSD1EOQL0XB7

STUDENT PARKING

• How do I purchase? ​Passes are purchased online, but only available to purchase by seniors until they are released to juniors.
• Who gets a pass?  Seniors get priority, then Juniors.  A student MUST be 16 at the time of purchasing a parking pass. The only exceptions are for passes (for the following year) purchased at the annual PTO AHS Auction.  Freshmen and Sophomores are not allowed to get parking passes.
• Are spots assigned? Currently, students are not assigned specific spots.  It is "first come - closer park" system.
• Senior Parking Area - There is not any designated senior parking by the school, but the students usually allow seniors to park in the closer section of parking by the gym.

DROPOFF / PICKUP
CLICK HERE FOR MAP OF DROP OFF LINE PROCEDURE
What school entrance should I use?

• Indian School entrance/exit (same for morning & afternoon)
  • ​Do not drop students in the front parking lot. 
  • The traffic line divides into 2 lines of cars after the front parking lot. Students may exit cars from both lanes once they have turned around the circle. The security guards direct traffic when possible. Please be respectful of drivers and careful of students.
• 44th Street entrance/exit
  • ​Morning - for student drivers only
  • Afternoon - parents may park  in available spots & your student can come to your car. You cannot exit at Indian School (there are cones & security blocking it).

I need to pick up my child early from school or excuse my late student

• EARLY RELEASE - Call 480-484-6304 so your student is waiting for you.  Parent/Guardian is required to walk in and sign student out. 
• LATE ARRIVAL - Call  480-484-6304 to excuse late arrival. It is not necessary to walk in student if you call.
• FULL DAY EXCUSED - Call 480-484-6300 to leave a message including NAME, STUDENT ID ID#, REASON.
• TIME LIMIT - Students must be called out/in within 24 hours of absence or it will be marked as unexcused and cannot be changed.
• IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT EXCUSING A STUDENT
  - A student arriving to class 10+ min late will count as absence. A parent can excuse it, but they will still be absent for the class(es) missed.
  - AHS asks that parents try to pick up their students BETWEEN classes. This helps to not disrupt classes when a student is being signed out.  CLICK HERE for the bell schedules.

EXTRACURRICULAR (Athletics, Groups)
When do sports,etc begin?

• Some activities (example: spirit line, dance) have events beginning in May the year before. If you missed those events, please contact the Booster Chair.
• Some fall sports have events during the summer (camps, meetings), so keep an eye out for communications so you can jump right in. If you missed these meetings, it does not mean you cannot tryout. Some events are important however (Marching Band Camp, Football Camp, etc), and participation is highly encouraged.

When are tryouts?

• Tryouts are usually the first week of school. 
• Tryout dates are announced on the morning announcements (ANN - Arcadia News Network), so it's important for students to pay attention if they want to participate.
• Students are not allowed to participate in tryouts without a Physical or completing their profile on REGISTER MY ATHLETE.  See the AHS Athletic Website for more information CLICK HERE.

MAPS OF SCHOOL

Parents, you can register your freshman up with these instructions:

1. Log in as your student at https://az-scottsdale.intouchreceipting.com/
2. click ITEMS AT ALL SCHOOLS BUTTON
3. DISTRICT
4. HIGH SCHOOL
5. Arcadia High School
6. Fees & Club Activities
7. Student Fees
8. CHOOSE PBIS CAMPCADIA $75 + Complete Payment

 
For questions, please email Campcadia staff at  ahshouseoftitans@gmail.com

​APRIL 2021
4 WINNERS OF $25 Starbucks Gift Cards

​FEBRUARY 2021
2 WINNERS OF  $50 Fry’s Gift Card
Because no matter what, you still gotta eat.

DECEMBER 2020
$350 Blue Apron Digital Gift Certificate (2 winners)
Fresh meal ingredients and recipes shipped to your door! 

​OCTOBER 2020
14 WINNERS of $50 Pie Snob Gift Card

​SEPTEMBER 2020
$100 Daily Harvest Egift Card (6 winners)
Frozen smoothie ingredients sent to your door!

AUGUST 2020
$700 Target Gift Card (1 winner)

4 winners of McDonald's $25 Gift Cards​

​PLUS

Grab N Go Lunch Lucky Charm game winners are:
Lucky 7s (first hand to arrive in my inbox)
Jackie Bunker, Ruth Hart, and Keri Blaker
 
Best 5-Card Poker Hand
Bradley Charles, Adrian Chang, Risa Moran, Claudina Garcia Villalobos, and Lisa Berkson
(yes, Mr. Chang, according to Wikipedia, 5 Kings is a legit hand)
 
…and Honorable Mention for Most Enthusiastic
Mike Weaver – you’re a winner too, and totally made our day! 
 
️ Suzanne Cassano & Linda Tinsley
AHS PTO Teacher Appreciation Co-Chairs

We popped by this morning and stuffed your mailboxes with
love and chocolate donated by the AHS PTO community! 
Stop by the mailroom to collect your goodies!

Have a sweet day!

​Covid 19 Incubation Timeline - FROM AHS NURSE
Please see the graphic above for explanation of why students are asked to quarantine at home after close contact.

What is the definition of an outbreak?
2 or more students/staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 within a 14-day period; and

• Could have had some close contact such as in a classroom or on a school sports team;
• Do not live in the same household; and
• Were not identified as close contacts of each other in another setting during a Public Health case investigation (e.g. friends who play together in each other's homes).

What is the definition of a "Close Contact"?
An individual that has been within 6 feet for longer than 10 minutes to someone who has tested positive for Covid-19. Close contacts should stay at home in quarantine for 14 days after the last contact with the person with COVID-19. If the "close contact" does not experience COVID-19 symptoms during the quarantine period they can return to school.

How do we know if we are a "Close Contact"?
Arcadia Administration will contact you.

When to contact the school about Covid related sickness?

• Positive Test - if student has tested positive for COVID-19, please stay home and contact the school nurse at dguestnelson@susd.org.
• Close Contact Out of School - If your student comes into contact with someone in your home or in their circle please notify us.  We are working with the Maricopa County of Public Health but it is helpful to keep our students safe as well for us to get ahead of this.

What are the symptoms of Covid 19?
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

How to Quarantine in a Household
If you live in the same home or were in close contact (within 6 feet for longer than 10 minutes) with someone with COVID-19, you should stay at home in quarantine.   
 Please read the Maricopa County Dept of Public Health Instructions HERE FOR MORE INFO.


What are the AHS/SUSD Plans for Covid 19 now that school has resumed?

• SUSD Covid Response Plan  << CLICK HERE >>
• SUSD Safety Protocols & Mitigation Strategies   << CLICK HERE >>

Senior Portraits
All seniors should have received information by now about getting their Senior Yearbook photo taken. If you haven't been contacted by the studio, please call for an appointment asap at:

Prestige Portraits
(480) 296-2880
4925 West Bell Road Ste. C-10, Glendale, Arizona 85308
See Packages at https://local.prestigeportraits.com/az/glendale/4925-west-bell-road.html

All students will automatically be signed up for the BASIC PACKAGE. The $10 fee is waived.  If you would like to upgrade your package, all fees will apply. Please be sure to let the studio know if you are upgrading to allow for more time on your appointment.

GLENDALE APPOINTMENTS
If you want more choices in photos and the ability to change outfits, you must take your photos at the studio in Glendale.  It is more of the full "senior experience".  For any package above basic, you can bring extra outfits, uniforms, etc.  Please review the packages on the website for more details.

MAKEUP DAYS AT ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL ​as of 8/26/20
There will be a makeup session at Arcadia High School on September 22nd & 23rd, times TBD. These sessions will be for BASIC package only and will be a more traditional school photo session (only 1-2 photos taken).  If you would like more options for your photos, you must come into the studio.

Red text indicates latest updates

** Campcadia postponed until able to host on campus **

July 24th  --  4 pm  --  Deadline for school year choice between IN PERSON and SOL

August 1st   --  PTO Membership Drive  at  arcadiapto.org/join
August 5th  --  Online Registration Forms Due  at https://synergyvue.susd.org/  (contact AHS to create account )

August 6th  --  8am - 12pm  --  10th Grade Tech & Book Pickup at AHS
August 6th  --  1pm - 4pm     --     9th Grade Tech & Book Pickup at AHS
August 7th  --  8am - 12pm  --  12th Grade Tech & Book Pickup at AHS
August 7th  --  1pm - 4pm     --  11th Grade Tech & Book Pickup at AHS
August 7th   --   6:30 pm  --  AHS Freshman Orientation via Zoom Link >>  http://tinyurl.com/ArcadiaQandA

August 7th - 9th    --    Student Schedules are expected to be released via Studentvue for both EDL and SOL students

August 10th  --  First Day of School with EDL

August TBD  --  Book Pickup (for textbooks that were delivered to AHS late)

September 7th  --  No School (Labor Day)

First Day of In Person Learning not set for AHS pending AZ State Health Board Standards as of 8/26/20 (see AHS website for updates)

EDL Schedule for Arcadia High School

Students are required to log into each class for attendance every day
Report absences by calling the AHS attendance line (as in past years)