Academy Parent Newsletter

Dear Parents,

We only have one week left in the 3rd nine week grading period. The year is flying by. Please remember that spring break is March 16-20. We have a staff professional learning day on Monday March 23rd so the first day back for students after spring break is Tuesday March 24th.

Sincerely,

Dr. Josh Howard

March 12th: First Year Project Presentations

March 16th - 20th: Spring Break

March 23rd: No School for Students (Staff Professional Learning Day)

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

April 15th: Food Truck Stay Day - DonutNV

April 21st: 10th/11th/12th Grade Field Trip to Dallas Zoo

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!

Hey there, awesome folks! 🎉 Our fantastic 10th, 11th, and 12th graders are all set to have an amazing time at the zoo on April 21st! 🦁🐵 Everyone’s invited to join the adventure. To make sure your students are all set for the fun, please go to StudentQuickPay.com/PISD to cover their $23.00 for admission and bus fees. 🚍💳 If you have any questions or just want to chat, don’t hesitate to reach out — we’re here to help make this a zoo-per day! 🐯😊

Please make sure payment is completed in Rycor by April 20 in order for your student to attend the trip. Any student who does not submit payment by the deadline will remain on campus and complete an alternative assignment during the field trip.

Financial assistance available. Please reach out to Assistant Principal Phythian with questions about financial assistance.

We launched our final project, K’Ching, on Monday, February 23. The last two weeks have been spent working to have learners ideate products based on selected problem statements, identify their assigned role in our simulated society, and planting the seeds for the rest of project (and this school year).

We are seeking panelists to review and rank the products each learner has chosen to bring forward. These panels will act like Shark Tank Investors to provide feedback to learners and help the teachers select the top 15 products/learners to serve as CEOs.

The dates and times for these panels is Tuesday, March 10, 11:00 – 12:30, and Wednesday, March 11, 11:00 – 12:30

We are also seeking panelists to serve as marketing mentors and investment loan officers later in April.

If you are interested/available, please respond to this email or complete this Google Form here: https://bit.ly/KChingProductPanels26

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