Academy Parent Newsletter
October 3rd, 2025
Dear Parents,
There are several updates this week for you to review. The PSAT administration ran smoothly this week. A huge shout out to Ms. Phythian for her planning and the rest of our staff for great execution of the PSAT plan!
We have our first showcase event for prospective students on Tuesday evening (see flyer below). Please help us get the word out! We are only one week away from Fall Break! Take care and have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Dr. Josh Howard
Important Dates
ASVAB (postponed, new date TBD)
October 6, 7, 8, & 9: Third Year Project Presentation Dates
October 8th and 9th: Second Year Project Presentation Dates
October 10th: First Year Project Presentation Date
October 31st: Deadline to register and pay for AP exams.
December 9th: 4th Year Project Presentations at Toyota HQ
Important Information for All Grade Levels
National Merit Commended Scholar
We celebrated 4th Year Student Justin Wu today for his major achievement! Justin earned the prestigious National Merit Commended Scholar award. Commended Students placed among the top students who entered the 2026 competition by taking the 2024 PSAT. Way to go Justin!
September Terrific Titans!
Custodian Appreciation
We celebrated our wonderful Custodian Mayra this week. We are so grateful for Mayra and all that she does to help keep our campus running smoothly!
Homecoming Mums in McCall Square Downtown Plano
Free College Application Week
Golf Themed Event for Promoting and Rewarding Great Attendance
Academy Showcase for Prospective Students and Families
These two evening events are for prospective students (not current students) who are thinking about joining us for the 26/27 school year. Please help us get the word out!
Titan Robotics Teddy Bear Drive
Titan Robotics & Proto-Titans will host and compete in the NTX Tournament of Robots October 25 – 26, 2025 at Vines HS. As a part of this event, we are collecting teddy bears to donate to the Collin Advocacy Center’s Teddy Bear Ride, which will occur on Saturday, October 26. Teddy Bears can be donated today through Friday, October 24. Please leave the teddy bears in the boxes in the front lobby.
Career Exploration with My Texas Future
October 3rd, 2025
Dear Parents and Guardians,
In Plano ISD, we believe that kindness and courage should guide how we treat one another. That is why we are launching our Kindness & Upstander Campaign this October during National Bullying Prevention Month.
What Is an Upstander? An upstander is someone who recognizes when something is wrong and chooses to act, especially when they see someone being bullied or excluded. Unlike a bystander who sees bullying but stays silent, an upstander speaks up with kindness and confidence, stands by the person being hurt and tells a trusted adult when needed.
Why It Matters: Children who are taught to be upstanders build empathy and courage, help create a safer and more welcoming school, and are more likely to seek help when they need to. Our goal is to empower students to model respect, show compassion, and stand up for what is right, whether that is addressing bullying, shutting down unkind behavior, or supporting a classmate in need.
Here is how you can partner with us at home:
Talk with your child about what it means to be an upstander, not a bystander.
Celebrate acts of kindness your child shows to others.
Encourage your child to use their voice when they see something that is not right.
Visit the Plano ISD website for district guidance on addressing bullying, harassment and all forms of hate
Together, we can create a culture of respect and courage that will carry our students through school and into life. Thank you for partnering with us to model the values we want for all our children.
Sincerely,
Dr. Josh Howard
Principal
Academy High School
Door Open Time
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
Hope Squad Art Contest
Free Saturday Math Tutoring for PISD Students (K–12)
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: topachieversplano.org/programs/steam-program
Club Approval and Selection (Please Complete)
Students need to complete this Google form to select their approved clubs and activities for Titan Time. Parents need to complete this form for each club their child wants to participate in. Students are not allowed to participate in a club until parent consent is received. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Parents: Please note that you must submit an approval form for each club you approve your child to participate in.
Parent/Teacher Conferences Available Tuesday November 4th, 2025
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We look forward to partnering with you to support your child’s success this school year. Our fall Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday, November 4, and we invite you to schedule a time to meet with your student’s teachers.
Conferences may be scheduled as in-person or virtual, depending on what works best for your family.
Conferences are a valuable opportunity to:
• Discuss your student’s academic progress
• Learn more about classroom expectations
• Collaborate on strategies to support continued growth
We encourage all families to take advantage of this opportunity. If you are unable to attend on November 4, please reach out directly to your student’s teachers to explore alternative arrangements.
Thank you for your continued partnership!
Dr. Howard
Need to add money to your student's lunch account??
Use this link to add many to your student's lunch account: https://www.schoolcafe.com/make-payment
First Year Information
Farm to Table Survey Links
Calling all parents and learners: the 1st Years need your help! Please fill out the surveys on the Farm to Table project consumable products to give learners feedback on their product ideas.
We also need panelists for our presentation day! Do you (or someone you know) have experience in marketing, the food or beverage industry, or consumable products? If so, we'd love to have you as a panelist on 10/10 from 11:00-12:40. If you are interested, please fill out the following linked form.
Please review the Farm to Table Parent Letter linked below.
Second Year Information
Third Year Information
Please review the third year website here (updated weekly): https://sites.google.com/pisd.edu/3rd-year-team/home
Judges Needed - Final Presentations for Plan X
Plan X’s final project presentations will take place from Monday, October 6, to Thursday, October 9, at Academy High School, between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM. We are looking for 8 to 12 judges each day to watch presentations from two different groups, each lasting about 20 minutes, and then share their thoughts and feedback with the students.
If you are interested and available, please sign up with this Google Form. A confirmation email will be sent to you once you express interest in being a panelist. We will meet you in the reception area at 10:45 on the day(s) you choose to participate. The commitment is approximately 1.5 hours each day.
We are very proud of our learners and their hard work and we look forward to sharing their final products with you.
Fourth Year Information
4th year math information here (updated weekly): https://tinyurl.com/4thyearMathNews
