Partnerships combining the resources of the community, family, and the Academy provide an authentic learning environment in which students become active learners through an alternative and recovery High school program.

Students empowered with HOPE develop a feeling of success as they work through real-world projects as valued members of the learning community.

We value your input and want to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our students and families. This is a friendly reminder to participate in our Possip Pulse Check when they come out.

Your feedback is crucial for us to understand what’s working well and where we can improve. The survey is quick and easy, and your responses will help us create a better experience for everyone in our school community.

We’re excited to announce a special event that you won’t want to miss!

Event: Thanksgiving Feast at ACP on November 21st, 2024

Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details. We look forward to seeing you there and sharing this memorable occasion with you!

Halloween Door Decorating Contest

Halloween Costume Day - Tuesday, October 29th, 2024

Event: Trunk or Treat

Location: Academy with Community Partners

Time: To Be Announced

Date: To Be Announced

Who's Invited: Students and Families

Dear ACP Families,

How quickly the first block of the school year has passed! Thank you to everyone who came out for our Ice Cream Social/Meet the Teacher night the first week of school. It was great to meet everyone and have time to get to know you outside of school. We have celebrated many things so far this year with our football games, our Senior sunrise, and Block 1 awards breakfast. We are looking forward to many more events in the next few months as the year progresses. Now is an important time to make sure that students are in a good routine for school, getting to school on time, turning in assignments, and making up time missed so they can receive credit in their classes.

As we stressed last year, regular attendance and consistent on time arrival to school is vitally important to our student’s success. Students will be denied credit for course due to excessive absences or tardies and/or being given detention to make these up. More importantly, being present and prompt will prepare students for what will be expected of them throughout life. We are asking for your cooperation in ensuring that your students miss as little school as possible. We are especially concerned about students coming back late from lunch as this is another area they need to be on time.

Here are a few important upcoming dates:

• September 16th – Block 2 begins
• October 7-10th – Fall break (no school)
• October 14-17th- Spirit Week
• October 16th – 40th day
• October 31st – Block 2 ends (Finals and ½ day)

Thank goodness we are having some days under 90 degrees. We are hoping this will help to motivate students to arrive at school on time and ready to work. We are looking forward to students coming with energy in the classroom ready to expand their mindset. Block 2, we are hoping to see a positive change with all our students being creative, passing classes, and building relationships. To do this we need students at school by 7:55 am, Monday through Thursday. Let's continue working together to make this school year productive, safe, and enjoyable.

Reminder: If your student is tardy or unexcused, they need to be at Friday school or lunch detention to make up their hours. This is very important and can result in a loss of credit. Please, let's get those sleepy LIONS up and to school on time.

Dear Families,

“Time flies, but memories last forever.” That is how the first block came and left. We started many new memories this year as the team is on track to make this the best ACP year for our students. We started clubs with feedback from students and teachers, which was a success. Our football team is #1 in state sitting at an amazing record of 11-1, with playoffs on November 2nd. We had our Senior Sunrise, where our team showed up at 5 am to start breakfast for these seniors who will go on this journey of graduation together. We went on our first field trip in our new van where the student council participated with schools from all over the valley at Pinnacle High School. We celebrated our end-of-block award winners and had more perfect attendance this block than in years past. There are so many more memories to be made this year and I know the Team and I are excited to have you all with us on this journey where we are enriching lives, and building a future of success for every kid, every day, every class.

Dear Families,

As we navigate the school year, we want to emphasize the critical role that consistent school attendance plays in your child’s academic success and overall development.

Why Attendance Matters:

1. Academic Achievement: Regular attendance is directly linked to higher academic performance. Every day in the classroom contributes to a student's understanding of the curriculum, making it easier to grasp new concepts and build upon previous knowledge.

2. Skill Development: School is not just about academics; it’s also where children develop important social and emotional skills. Consistent attendance helps students build relationships with their peers and teachers, enhancing their communication, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities.

3. Routine and Responsibility: Attending school regularly helps students establish a routine, fostering a sense of responsibility and time management that is essential for their future success, both in education and in life.

We understand that there are times when absences are unavoidable. However, maintaining a high level of attendance whenever possible is crucial for your child’s educational journey.

Thank you for your continued support and for partnering with us to ensure the best possible learning experience for your child.

Student of the Block

Rosa always is on task and provides in-depth and well-thought-out answers. She also brings a positive energy into the classroom everyday.

Demise has got a great work ethic. He is always respectful and has a great sense of humor.

Alondra is always willing to help out in the classroom, whether that's helping other people or helping around the classroom due to being to work diligently, asking questions when she doesn't understand something and persevering.

Benjamin participates in discussions, gets the work done, and is willing to help others.

Hector is hard-working, does his best, and is always willing to participate in class.

Raudiel is an amazing young man who is working hard to reach his goal of graduating. He is always respectful and responsible for his own actions. He makes sure to stay on top of his learning and communicates well with his teachers to make sure he is on track. He has a great sense of humor and is an all-around an awesome person.

Julian was chosen as the Student of the Block due to his consistent dedication and hard work. He comes in every day, completes his tasks diligently, and maintains excellent communication with his teachers. Julian has not only shown responsibility in his daily actions but has also made significant progress toward achieving the personal goals he set for himself this year, making him a standout student in the class.

Teacher of the Block

The Student of the Block Awards aim to acknowledge those students who have demonstrated exemplary behavior, academic excellence, and a strong commitment to their school community. Students with perfect attendance were also given an award certificate and a voucher to our school student store. This event was an opportunity for us to celebrate their accomplishments and show our appreciation for their efforts. Afterwards, award recipients got to enjoy a breakfast provided by the school staff.

What has Mrs. Schmitz been up to in her Science classes?

In Biology, we are finishing up our unit on Principles of Inheritance. The students used Mendel’s laws to determine the traits of their dragon offspring, and then drew pictures and did analysis of their data. In Physical Science, we are in the middle of our Newton’s Laws Unit. Students learned about Newton’s three laws of motion, then made comic strips showing their characters interacting with the laws.

Some previous activity was a lab that had students looking at the effects of exercise on cellular respiration. They measured their resting heart rate and breathing rate, as well as the amount of time it took for them to change the indicator in a volume of water from blue to yellow (measures the pH from the exhaled CO2 mixing into the water) when blowing into a straw. They then exercised vigorously for 1 minute and took their measurements again. They then exercised for 2 minutes and took their measurements a third time to see what happened to their results.

Not only is she busy in the classroom but Mr. Schmitz just received word she is the recipient of the AZ Space Grant for10 teams to participate in the Plant the Moon Challenge which is sponsored by NASA and AZ Space Grant Consortium!

This Challenge asks high school students, undergraduates, and professionals to test what nutrients, fertilizers, or other modifications to the regolith are needed to grow nutrient rich, sustainable food sources for future astronauts.

Our ACP students will be able to participate in the Plant the Moon Challenge which is a huge honor for our school.

What has Mr. Smith been up to in his history classes?

US History

Our class is learning about westward expansion and the growth of the abolition movement.

Government

Our class is learning about the different levels of government starting at the local level, then county, and then the state level.

What has Mrs. Dunford been up to in her English class?

In English 11, we are getting into Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, discussing characters, motivations, themes, and symbols in our reading. We are expanding our vocabulary and determining the appropriate definition of words based on context clues. We are also working on our critical thinking and predictive skills by studying the implicit and explicit hints given in the text.

What has Mrs. Dunford been up to in her Art class?

In Art in World Cultures, we are currently finishing up our studies of Ancient Egyptian Art and moving into early Ancient Greek Art/Aegan Art. We studied the pyramids, hieroglyphics, and a variety of sculptures and paintings throughout the Egyptian Pharoh periods.

What has Mr. Dunford been up to in his Blended Learning class?

Blended classes are settled into a good groove. The majority of students are setting a good pace, keeping up with the goal of finishing before the end of the block. Some have cruised ahead and finished their courses and started new ones. We have a great atmosphere developed, if everyone stays productive, sometimes we are able to have some music going or a Disney movie.

What has Mr. Mazon been up to in his Math class?

Mr. Mazon's Algebra Class has gone over identifying different types of Functions, Graphs, and identifying their properties to be able to learn how to convert linear equations into a line on a graph. The Geometry class has been doing something similar with learning how to plot points and about all the different types of transformations you can do with shapes on these graphs.

New to the school this year! Posters and banners were placed throughout campus with the following:

Mighty Lions Choose to ROAR

R - Respectful

O - Open-Minded

A - Achievers

R - Responsible

Key Components of ROAR

• Clear Expectations: We establish and communicate clear behavioral expectations for students across different settings within the school. This helps students understand what behaviors are expected and how they can achieve them.

• Positive Reinforcement: We recognize and reward positive behavior through various incentives and praise. This reinforces desired behaviors and encourages students to continue making good choices.

Benefits of ROAR:

• Improved Behavior: By focusing on positive reinforcement and clear expectations, ROAR helps reduce behavioral issues and promotes a more respectful and cooperative school environment.
• Enhanced Learning: A positive and supportive environment allows students to focus on learning and achieve their academic goals.
• Stronger School Community: ROAR fosters a sense of community and belonging among students, staff, and families, contributing to a more inclusive and supportive school culture.

Our school recently had the honor of hosting a visit from Sargent Fenton with the Army National Guard. This engaging and informative visit provided our students with a unique opportunity to learn about military life, leadership, and the important role of the National Guard in our community and beyond.

Highlights of the Visit:

Interactive Presentations: The Army National Guard representatives delivered captivating presentations about their duties, training, and the various career opportunities available within the armed forces.

We extend our thanks to the Army National Guard for their time and dedication in visiting our school and for sharing their invaluable knowledge with our students.

We are thrilled to announce a new addition to our school’s resources: a dedicated van for student transportation! This new vehicle will enhance our ability to support students and facilitate their participation in various school activities such as educational field trips, sports events, and club events.

Key Benefits of the Van:

1. Improved Accessibility: The van will help ensure that all students have access to school events, field trips, and extracurricular activities, regardless of their transportation needs.

2. Enhanced Safety: Having a school-owned van allows us to maintain a higher level of safety and supervision during transportation, ensuring a secure environment for our students.

3. Convenience: With our own van, we can better manage transportation logistics for school-related events, reducing the need for coordinating with external providers and minimizing delays.

We are on the search for sponsors to add to our van. If you are interested, please contact the school.

As we transition into a new chapter at ACP, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Fil for her dedicated years of service as our school counselor. We hope she enjoys her retirement years filled with joy and new adventures. Her unwavering support and commitment to our students have made a lasting impact on our community, and she will be greatly missed.

At the same time, we are excited to welcome Carla Mannes as our new school counselor. Ms. Mannes brings a wealth of experience and passion for student well-being. We are confident she will be a wonderful addition to our ACP family and will continue the tradition of excellence in supporting our students.

Please join us in thanking Ms. Fil for her service and in welcoming Ms. Mannes to our school community!

Our seniors recently had the opportunity to attend our senior sunrise event. This annual event marks the beginning of our seniors’ final year and was a great opportunity for students to come together in a festive and supportive atmosphere. Enjoy a delicious breakfast, share in the excitement of the new school year, and witness the stunning sunrise that symbolizes the start of a new chapter.

Our student council recently attended a leadership conference held at Pinnacle High School. This conference provided an invaluable opportunity for our students to engage with their peers from across the state, expanding their horizons and forging new connections.

During the conference, our students embraced the chance to step out of their comfort zones and explore innovative ideas that can enhance our own school community. They participated in a variety of interactive workshops and networking sessions, which allowed them to develop their leadership skills and gain fresh perspectives on effective student council practices.

We look forward to seeing how the ideas and experiences gathered at the conference will inspire new initiatives and drive positive changes within our school. Stay tuned for exciting updates as our student council begins to implement their newfound knowledge and strategies!

Thank you for supporting our student leaders as they continue to grow and make a difference.

Our ACP Lions flag football team is currently ranked #1 in the state with an impressive record of 11-1! With 5 more games ahead, the excitement is building as we prepare for the state tournament on November 2, 2024. Let’s rally together and support our team as they aim for victory!

Additionally, basketball tryouts will begin on November 11, 2024. We encourage all interested students to come tryout.

Thank you for your continued support of our athletes! Go Lions!

- Coach Freas

Remember that each year there is an AZ tax credit of $200 for individuals and $400 for families when you donate to a school. This means that if you give a donation of that amount to the school (with receipt) you get that as a tax credit back on your AZ state taxes. Business/Corporate donations can be up to $800. These donations are used to help our sports and other extracurricular activities. Please talk to Ms. Ramos at the front office if you'd like to make a donation. For more information, you can go to https://azdor.gov/tax-credits/public-school-tax-credit

We would like to introduce our new school registrar, Margaret Carrasco! With her extensive experience in a school office, she is dedicated to ensuring a smooth registration process and providing excellent support for our students and families.

Please join us in welcoming Margaret to our ACP community. We look forward to the positive impact she will have in our school!

We would like to introduce Carla Mannes, the new counselor at ACP. Carla hails from the great state of South Dakota, relocating to the valley in 2001. Carla returned to school to complete her bachelor's and masters degree in social work from Arizona State University. She opened her private practice in 2014 serving the teenage population. Carla's expertise is in grief, loss and childhood trauma. She is a strong mental health advocate, licensed by the AZ Board of Behavioral Health. She is thrilled to put her skills to good use here. "My door is always open". We are lucky to have Carla join the ACP Lions Team.

Forgot Your Password?

Contact the School Operations Manager, Taylor Sorensen at tsorensen@accelschools.com for assistance.

Family income forms play a crucial role in supporting our school and students. As you receive this form from our office, please take a moment to complete it. Family income forms are essential for determining eligibility for various federal and state funding programs. These forms help schools qualify for funding that supports educational resources and services.

Parents and guardians may request information about the qualifications of their teachers at any time by emailing our Operations Manager, Taylor Sorensen at tsorensen@accelschools.com. These are also available at our school office at 433 N Hall in Mesa, AZ.

Questions? Call our front office at 480-833-0068