VPA-AZ Back to School Newsletter
August 2025
We hope you had a summer filled with adventures and plenty of time to relax and recharge. Whether you are returning for another year or joining us for the very first time, welcome to our amazing learning community!
Here at Virtual Preparatory Academy of Arizona, you are more than just a student, you’re an important part of our school family. This year is full of possibilities, and we can’t wait to learn, grow, and celebrate milestones together. Our virtual classrooms are filled with excitement, and your teachers and staff are ready to cheer you on every step of the way.
So, fire up those laptops and get ready for a year filled with curiosity, creativity, and connection. Here’s to making this school year our best one yet! We’re so glad you’re here.
Ms. Savina Dhawan, Secondary Principal
Ms. Rebecca Kowal, Special Education Coordinator
Ms. Savannah Hunter, Registrar
Ms. Maren Henry, Registrar
Dr. Kayleen Marble, Superintendent
Hello Families,
We are so excited to start another school year on Wednesday 8/13. The VPA staff were able to get together last week for professional development and to get ready to welcome you back. It is an exciting time for us, and I hope that you are all ready to learn. Our mission is to provide all our students with an individualized education with a focus on careers. This year, if you are in high school, you will see many more electives available to you for specific pathways designed to help you prepare for what you will do after graduation. For our younger students, we will expose you to more opportunities and ideas to get you started thinking about what you want to be when you grow up. Our goal is to create a learning environment with rigor, innovation, and peer interaction. Our teachers have live class sessions throughout the week where you will be able to learn, discuss, practice and grow in your learning. We appreciate that you have chosen our school for your education. A critical part of our school and your students' success is a strong partnership between the home and the school. Teachers and staff will be calling and welcoming their students over the next few weeks. Please reach out to them if you need any support or have any questions. Let's have a great school year! We are the Arizona Wolfpack! Welcome back, Wolves!
Ms. Savina Dhawan, Secondary Principal
Dear Families,
It is my privilege to welcome you to a new school year. As we begin, our focus remains on fostering an engaging and challenging learning environment that equips our secondary students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to excel both academically and personally.
This year offers opportunities for students to deepen their learning, explore new interests, and prepare for the next steps in their educational journey. Our dedicated staff is committed to supporting each student’s growth, encouraging resilience, and promoting a strong sense of responsibility and leadership.
I look forward to working in partnership with you to ensure that this year is one of achievement, growth, and success for all students.
Ms. Karli Thompson, Elementary Administrator (Grades K-5)
Hello Families!
Welcome to the 2025-26 school year! Our staff just recently returned from our face-to-face professional development in Arizona. It was a great opportunity for us to collaborate and refine the many great things we plan to offer your students this year. One thing that we are particularly proud of is our focus on state standards and ensuring our students are learning what they need to know to be successful in their academic journey.
As an elementary school parent, you will want to watch for two things this year to help guide your understanding of how your student is doing in their classes.
First, is our internal grading system to assess student learning and progress of our state’s standards. We utilize a standards-based grading approach to assess your student’s mastery of specific learning standards or objectives, providing a more comprehensive understanding of each student's academic proficiency. We will share your student’s mastery of the standards through our Canvas Mastery Tracker. Please ensure you are reading your school email to get these regular updates! If you would like to forward your school email to your personal email, you can do that by following the directions HERE.
Secondly, to ensure students are still completing their online assignments, teachers will also use a traditional external grading scale to help parents track student progress within the Canvas Learning Dashboard. This will mirror your student’s engagement in the course and will give you a better idea of how well they are completing their assignments. We know that if students are completing their assignments, their mastery of the standards will most likely match that effort.
Teachers will be reaching out to you in the coming days to introduce themselves and answer any other questions you may have.
Thank you for choosing Virtual Prep Academy of AZ to be your school of choice!
Mr. Taylor Sorensen, Operations Manager
Hello families!
Welcome to the 2025–2026 school year! I am excited to welcome our students and families back for what promises to be an exciting and rewarding year. The energy is already building, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things our students will accomplish.
As your Operations Manager, I want to personally assure you that our team is here to support you every step of the way. From enrollment and attendance to general questions and everything in between, we’re just a phone call or email away.
Did you know?
Did you know the very first fully online public school in the U.S. opened in 1995 before Google even existed? That means online students have been learning from home since the days of dial-up internet!
Spring State Testing – Save the Date!
State testing is mandatory, in-person for all Arizona students in grades 3–9 & 11. Please mark your calendars for testing dates: March 30 – April 10, 2025.
More details will be shared in February 2025, but we encourage families to plan ahead so students are ready to shine on testing day. See the attached flyer for more information.
PowerSchool Parent Portal
On Monday, August 11th, 2025, parents and guardians will receive their Parent Portal login information via email from our Operations Team. Please see the attachment below for a preview of where to access the dashboard, how to log in, and answers to frequently asked questions. If you need additional support, don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of our Operations Team.
Forms in the Parent Portal
A new feature of the Parent Portal will allow our school to securely collect documents directly through the platform. This includes, but is not limited to, contact information updates and school form acknowledgements.
Attendance
Consistent attendance is a key factor in student success. Every course provides essential instruction, meaningful interaction, and opportunities for academic growth. When students attend regularly, they stay connected, engaged, and on track to meet their educational goals.
We understand that life happens, but we encourage families to prioritize attendance and communicate proactively with our team when challenges arise. Together, we can ensure every student has the best chance to thrive.
Attendance Inquiries
For all attendance questions or to report an absence, please contact our Attendance Line at 307-365-6440 or email us at attendance@vprepaz.org. We’re here to help ensure every school day counts!
Forgot Your Password?
Contact the School Operations Manager, Taylor Sorensen at tsorensen@accelschools.com for assistance.
Dr. Kayleen Marble
Mr. Taylor Sorensen
Operations Manager
Ms. Karli Thompson
Elementary Administrator
Ms. Katie Peters
ELL Coordinator
Ms. Kristina Norris
Student Success Coordinator
Ms. Rebecca Kowal
ESS Coordinator
Ms. Savina Dhawan
Secondary Principal
