Advantage Academy 
Grand Prairie East
Newsletter
 
December 2016
Veterans Day Assembly

Dr. Keith Derrick



Keep Your High School Students
Reading Over the Holidays


As the holiday season moves into full swing and students are home from school, it's easy to get lost in the preparation and forget to keep students focused on literacy. Unfortunately, in many states, assessment tests are right around the corner.

One of the things students look forward to in December is the academic downtime, but there's no reason why they can't keep their minds sharp during the holidays. And, believe it or not, they can have fun while doing it. Being focused on literacy doesn't have to mean sitting at a table with a boring school book for a set amount of time each day . You can easily 'sneak' literacy into daily activities. Here are a few tips that parents and guardians can use to sneak learning into the holidays at home:
 

A. Encourage students to  read  with  younger children.

B. Encourage students to read holiday cards when they are received in the mail, and let them write a message in outgoing cards.

C. Let students assist with holiday meal preparations. It's a great way to focus on reading and mathematics skills.

D. Talk to your students about the family's holiday traditions.

E. Encourage students to socialize around reading. Set up book clubs, reading groups, literature circles. Many students need to interact with each other around texts. It greatly enhances their comprehension and makes it so much more enjoyable.

F. Encourage students to listen to audio books. Audio books "count" as reading. While you're not developing decoding or fluency skills, you are acquiring vocabulary, applying comprehension strategies, and enjoying stories or accruing information.

G. Encourage students to apply for scholarships. If there was ever a time to apply, it's during the holidays! You don't have to spend the entire break applying for scholarships, but even if you devote a few hours to your scholarship applications; it will make a world of difference in your search. After all, it only takes one to win!

Mountain View College TSI Boot Camp


25 GPE students in grades 10, 11 and 12 grades participated in a 3 day Academic Bootcamp  on  the  campus of Mountain View College to prepare for Eligibility Status for College Courses and Level I Certification Programs.  I nterested Students and Parents should contact Mrs. Debra Carter-District Guidance Counselor
469.955.7123 or debra.carter@advantageacademy.org.
Josten's Dates

Senior orders & class ring delivery: Mon. Dec. 12 (during lunch)
Senior orders: Monday, Jan. 9 (during lunch)
Senior orders: Monday, Feb.13 (during lunch)
Senior orders: Monday, March 13 (during lunch)
Senior graduation delivery: Monday, April 10 (during lunch)
Senior make-up delivery: Monday, May 8 (during lunch)




The University of Texas at San Antonio Alumni Association Scholarship Application is now open.  The deadline date is  January 15, 2017 Alumni scholarships are competitive and $5,000 per year ($2,500 in the Fall and $2,500 in the Spring). Apply online:  http://alumni.utsa.edu/alumnischolarship .
 
UTSA is a four-year comprehensive university located in San Antonio, Texas.  Here is the link to the Admissions page.
College SAT & ACT Test 
& Registration Deadlines
      
Contact the district guidance counselor Mrs. Debra Carter for more information.

TWC is pleased to announce the addition of an  Interest Profiler to  TexasCareerCheck.com . Students will answer 60 questions which will help them start their career exploration journey.  Texas Career Check is an easy to use tool which allows users to collect career information and job data by researching occupation titles, career clusters, Foundation High School Program endorsement areas, or keywords. They can also research any college or university in the U.S. by searching institution names, states or programs of study.
Features Coming Soon to Texas Career Check ... High School Personal Graduation Plan and a Career Exploration Interactive Game to engage students to explore careers they may not have considered investigating.
These exciting new additions are coming soon, so bookmark our web address and check in with us often.
Visit  TexasCareerCheck.com   and start exploring today!

Mark Your Calendars

STAAR End-of-Course Retests dates:

Dec 5  - Monday - English I
Dec 6  -Tuesday - Algebra I
Dec 7  -Wednesday - English II
Dec 8  - Thursday  - Biology & U.S. History
Dec 9  - Friday - Any EOC make-up exams

Please make sure your child gets plenty of rest the night before the test and eats a good, well-balanced breakfast!


Tutoring Monday & Thursday each week  -  4:15-5:00 pm
Varsity Girls Basketball game @ Luna - 5:30 pm 
Varsity Boys Basketball game @ Winfree - 6:15 pm 

Spirit Shirt/Jean Day Fridays
 
 
Spirit Shirts are required on Fridays and may be purchased for    $8.00 in the Main Office.
 
Jeans are optional on Fridays for $1.00 fee  Jean passes are $15 per semester or $25 for the year.   Buy now online
View Your Child's Grades Online!


Advantage Academy wants to help you access your student's grades. Sign up now for access to the txConnect Parent Portal and you  can monitor your child's grades and attendance from your computer! You will need your portal ID #.  You may contact the campus registrar for your portal ID #.

Faculty Contacts

Communication is critical in our partnership with you to help ensure the success of your child in school.  If you have any questions for your child's teacher, please feel free to email them! Please use attached link to locate any teacher's email.

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