Academy Parent Newsletter

Dear Parents,

We had a great week at AHS. We started the week with two great days of professional learning for our teachers and staff. We welcomed our students back on Wednesday and they were well rested and ready to learn. Our students continue to shine and are making us so proud!

Sincerely,

Dr. Josh Howard

February 21st/22nd: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Theatre Performance

March 5th: SAT for all Juniors

March 27th: Food Truck Stay Day - Community Grill & Jeremiah's Italian Ice

April 15th: Food Truck Stay Day - DonutNV

April 29th: Food Truck Stay Day - Tikiz Shaved Ice & Ice Cream

May 13th: Food Truck Stay Day - Tropical Smoothie Cafe

May 30th 2PM: Graduation 2026!

The NASA HUNCH (High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware) Critical Design Review (CDR) is a pivotal milestone where high school teams present refined, nearly finalized prototypes to NASA experts for validation. It assesses if the design meets strict safety and functionality standards for potential use on the International Space Station (ISS). The prestigious event was held at the Nancy Watten Technology & Events Center.

Great job Sumedha, Dana, and Javier!

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the leading association for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and other school leaders across the United States and beyond. NASSP’s Student Service Grant program is a new national initiative designed to empower student leaders to create and lead impactful service projects in their communities. Grants ranging from $200 to $1,000 are awarded to fund youth-led, youth-driven service projects that address real community needs.

Way to go Antonio!

Great job Erin!

Our School Resource Officer, Officer Graham, awarded two challenge coins this week for students helping promote school safety. Way to go Juan and Vinny!

Our most recent Terrific Titan award recipients attended a field trip to the Samsung cell phone repair facility on February 20th.

Officer Aaron Graham was awarded the prestigious Practitioner designation by the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO).

The National SRO Practitioner program was established as a way for NASRO, police agencies, and school districts to recognize officers who have excelled in the area of school-based policing. The program seeks to distinguish those officers who are committed to serving our nation’s youth, along with the communities and schools they serve.

To obtain the status of National SRO Practitioner, officers must meet certain requirements. Upon successful completion of these requirements, the officer will be recognized at the annual National School Safety Conference, and receive a National SRO Practitioner uniform pin, a certificate, and a letter of commendation from the Association. The National SRO Practitioner Certificate gives credit to those officers who have attended NASRO training, shown a commitment to school-based policing, and have shown leadership in this specialized field of law enforcement.

Students enjoyed Panda Express and Local Creamery for lunch on February 18th!

Parents - Please complete the parent consent form for all activities your child will participate in during Titan Time. You only need to do this once per year so no action is needed if you already submitted your consent form during fall. You only need to submit a new one if your child will be participating in a new activity this spring.

Students - Please complete the Titan Time Selection form for January 6 - March 13th.

Please use this link for instructions on setting up Skyward Family Access

The Family Access portal will allow parents/guardians to monitor and participate in your child’s education, including the ability to:

• Review grades
• Check schedules
• View upcoming assignments
• Keep track of attendance
• Manage fees and payments
• Access other important information

Dear Parents,

We are moving away from a standards based grading system and the use of Empower as our platform. We will be fully transitioning to a traditional grading system with all grades entered in Skyward with the start of the 26/27 school year. Our math team has been using Skyward and a traditional grading system this fall semester. Some teachers in other content areas will begin using Skyward and a traditional grading system for the upcoming Spring 2026 semester. All Academy teachers will use Skyward and a traditional grading system starting with the 26/27 school year. This transition plan is designed to help us continue to move toward clear and consistent college preparatory grading practices at AHS. Please reach out to me if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Dr. Howard

Please review our practice for incidents involving academic dishonesty:

Teachers enter all academic dishonesty incidents in 360 as admin-managed. Administration council with students and assign the consequences below.

• 1st time- redo max 70

• 2nd time- redo, max 50

• 3rd time and beyond- zero and 1 day ISS

PSAT/SAT Resources: https://www.pisd.edu/departments-66/advanced-academics/psat-and-sat

Resources include general information about each test, test preparation resources, and how to interpret score reports.

Plano ISD senior high school graduations will be celebrated across three evenings. The graduation dates, times and locations for the senior high schools and Academy High School are as follows:

• Plano Senior High School | WED | MAY 27 | 7 PM | Ford Center at the Star in Frisco

• Plano East Senior High School | THU | MAY 28 | 7 PM | Ford Center at the Star in Frisco

• Plano West Senior High School | FRI | MAY 29 | 7 PM | Ford Center at the Star in Frisco

• Academy High School | SAT | MAY 30 | 2 PM | Plano ISD Robinson Fine Arts Center

Graduation details are available for students and families at www.pisd.edu/graduation

About the scholarship:

The Plano Retired Teachers Association (PRTA) is the local unit of the Texas Retired Teachers Association. The Plano unit, comprising nearly 500 retired educators and school employees, helps its members stay informed about local, state, and national issues of interest. The organization encourages networking and advocates for laws and legislation that benefit educators and students. This organization’s goal is to advance causes related to education and community volunteerism. The Plano Retired Teachers Association offers three scholarships, one at each of the three senior high schools, each valued at $ 1,000, to graduating seniors planning to pursue a career in education.

Eligibility: Graduating Senior at Plano Senior High School, Plano East Senior High School, Plano West Senior High School, and Plano ISD Academy High School. (Academy HS seniors will apply through the senior high attendance zone where they reside.)

Criteria: Applicant plans to pursue a career in education

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeyWLNZTm7zdZpw5el1C2ZL804B7Ro2DF8D7prY65Pb-Xe1Bw/viewform

The application with documents is due April 8th, 2026.

The committee will meet soon after the application deadline to review if necessary.

Recipients will be notified by April 15, 2026.

Dear Parents,

Our doors open at 8:30 AM each day. Please be mindful of this when planning your morning drop off time as we head toward colder weather.

Thank you,

Academy Administration

Guinn Special Programs Center, in partnership with Top Achievers and IntelliChoice, offers free math tutoring every Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. at Guinn Special Programs Center, 2221 Legacy Dr, Plano, TX.

• Open to all PISD students

• Approximately 3:1 student-to-tutor ratio

• Individualized support, including help with homework

• Light breakfast provided

• All materials included

Register at: https://topachieversfoundation.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/106/responses/new

Use this link to add many to your student's lunch account: https://www.schoolcafe.com/make-payment

Dear First Year Parent or Guardian,

Congratulations! After a rigorous selection process, your learner and their team have been hired as expedition coordinators! After performing extensive background research on a region, the team will develop a themed expedition designed to immerse participants into the region’s culture. The travel itinerary should provide experiences that allow participants to explore each aspect of culture (Social, Historical, Economic, Environmental, and Political: SHEEP) within the region through the lens of the theme of the expedition. Teams will then create a booth to showcase how their travel itineraries capture the rich culture of the country. All booths will use appropriate research and creativity to communicate their message.

1st years will host a travel fair on March 12, 2026 from 4:30-6:00pm for family and friends to come view expedition booths and vote on their favorite trip!

Project Curriculum Overview

Art: We’re focusing on the process of Art Criticism. Learners will analyze artworks and artifacts from various time periods and cultures to discover how different people communicate their values and beliefs.

Biology: The main focal points of biology will be cellular processes and plant systems. These concepts build upon previous learning from class, which included biomolecules, animal body systems, and mechanisms of maintaining homeostasis. Learning will be supported through laboratory experiments that will allow students to see real-time demonstrations of chemical reactions, including fermentation, cellular respiration, and photosynthesis.

CADD: Working on symmetric design and 3D printing. Students will be able to design scenes that represent the environment of their Region.

English: Literary elements and culture are the lenses we use to explore different iterations of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in this project. How do authors tell stories and express culture? How do authors’ cultures shape their stories? Learners will participate in a book club by selecting a Romeo and Juliet inspired story to explore culture and how literary elements are used to express themes. Book options are Son of the Mob by Korman, Street Love by Myers, These Violent Delights by Gong, YOLO Juliet by Wright. Students may use a school copy or purchase their own copy.

Math: In Geometry we study logic. Through our logic lessons we will develop If-Then statements related to our travels. Geometry students will also learn about similarity and proof, which teaches our learners how to organize and follow steps to find a solution or come to an answer that is expected. Algebra 1 will explore Laws of Exponents and Radicals, Polynomial Operations, and Solving Quadratics. Similarly, having a step by step plan (or itinerary) will help teach our learners how to organize their trip itinerary in a logical step by step manner.

World Geography: Through this project, learners will explore the spread of different cultures throughout different regions of the world and the impact they have had on social, historical, economic, environmental, and political (SHEEP!) aspects.

Project Anchor Doc

Expedition criteria:

Team Responsibilities

• Expedition title

• Expedition theme

• Target audience

• At least one immersive experience for each of the 5 aspects of culture (S.H.E.E.P.) through the lens of the theme of the expedition.

• Social cultural experience

• Historical cultural experience

• Economic cultural experience

• Environmental cultural experience

• Political cultural experience

• Your expedition itinerary must include at least one visit to a science museum and one visit to a national park, arboretum, botanical garden, Audubon center, or other preserved natural space.

These visits will count toward your SHEEP immersive experiences.

• Animation

• Stamp

• Budget with trip price

• Google Earth Tour

• Trip Poster

• Trip Brochure

• 30-second TikTok video

• Identify and represent a cultural folktale and a modern author from one of your destination countries.

• Cultural Artifacts: Historical booth design, 3D printed environmental diorama, cultural artwork, themed fashion, folktale

Individual Responsibilities

• For one location (city, town, recreational area) within the region, plan a two-day itinerary

• Include at least two immersive S.H.E.E.P. experiences (through the lens of the theme of the expedition)

• Ensure that all experiences fall within the budget.

Booth Criteria:

• Based on research, create a booth that provides an interactive experience that tells the story of the essence of the expedition and how the expedition immerses participants into the 5 aspects of the region’s culture (social, historical, economic, environment, political)

• (1) Multimedia experience (Google Earth Voyager)

• (1) Interactive cultural experience (e.g. creating art, learning a dance, creating music, cooking demonstration, playing a traditional game, playing a game that introduces participants to the culture of the country (trivia, matching, etc.))

• (5) Cultural artifacts (e.g. historical booth design, 3D printed environmental diorama, cultural artwork, themed fashion, folktale). In addition you may also include music, currency, flags, logo, t-shirts, promotional products, etc.) - all artifacts must be created at the Academy.

• Each team member will select one of the 5 cultural artifacts and write the story of that artifact. What is its significance? What does it represent? How is it a cultural artifact?
  
  

Questions for the dinner table:

• How are you analyzing the data you found about your place to inform your expedition?

• What commonalities have you found in the functions you have studied in math this year?

• What causes culture to change over time?

• Is it important for cultures to maintain traditional ways?

• How or where do I track my ideas and develop a plan?

• What makes a trip memorable?

• What are some of your favorite trips? Why do you like these?

Thank you for all your support! Please let any of us know if you have questions about or ideas for this project.

Sincerely,

The 1st Year Facilitators

Please review the third year website here (updated weekly): https://sites.google.com/pisd.edu/3rd-year-team/home

Please review Ms. Jain's 4th Year Math Newsletter (updated weekly): https://tinyurl.com/4thyearMathNews