“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” ~ Mark Twain
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Dear North Phoenix Prep Families,
Welcome back from Spring Break! Can you believe that the
fourth
quarter is about to begin?
By now, all families will have received report cards for the 3rd quarter, so I want to address our vision for evaluating students at North Phoenix Prep. First, we realize that student grades can be a source of anxiety, especially as our students anticipate applying to college. I'd encourage everyone to read the section in our Family Handbook titled,
"A Word on Grades and Applying for College,
"
in which we explain the tremendous
advantage
that our students receive by pursuing our honors curriculum compared to the "soft" GPA that comes from easier coursework.
Second, our teachers do not merely crunch numbers to determine a grade. Our students receive a humane appraisal of their progress from a person who knows them.
Though our
teachers do indeed give tests in which there are unambiguous right and wrong answers, it is they who assess our students, not a computer. Nor is this "subjective" in the sense that the teacher's opinion is a mere whim or feeling. Rather, we are confident that our teachers can give an accurate evaluation because their opinion is formed through concrete, direct interaction with our students every day.
Third, our focus is not on the letter grades themselves, but on the daily progress of our students. We believe that education is a lifelong journey, and so we do not view assessment in terms of work input/grade output. Because we hold this view, the focus of our written narratives, student-led conferences, and indeed all of our evaluative conversations is on progress and methods of improvement. While we acknowledge that it can be difficult to focus on the long-term benefits of a classical, liberal arts education at North Phoenix Prep, we encourage parents and students to maintain a vision of the confident, articulate, well-prepared graduate whenever the journey becomes strenuous.
With Devotion,
Headmaster Weinhold
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The culminating project for an Academy student is the senior thesis. At the beginning of the senior year, the student selects a field of inquiry from the curriculum – literature, philosophy, math, science, the arts – and then selects a faculty member to act as his or her thesis advisor. The thesis is an exploration of one of the “Six Great Ideas” of humanity summarized as Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Justice, Liberty, and Equality.
The first semester involves the selection of readings, directed study, note-taking, and conversation with the advisor.
The second semester involves the writing of the thesis in sections, with the advisor offering feedback and guidance at each successive stage.
The thesis is not a research paper, and it should not attempt to prove a specific point. Rather, the senior is asked to logically develop and assertively present his or her own philosophy on a topic of personal interest derived from the chosen texts. The thesis culminates with the senior defending his or her final draft in front of a committee of three faculty member.
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Above: With a rapt audience looking on, Vinamra Kumar defends his thesis before Mr. Warczinsky, Ms. Cole, and Ms. Coughlon
It was standing room only this afternoon for the first thesis defense by Vinamra Kumar which explored justice through Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and The Prince (Machiavelli)
Our seniors will be presenting their thesis defense through the next few months. Congratulations Seniors!
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Click the image above to access the full athletics calendar for this week's upcoming events which includes a Middle School girls basketball home game Tuesday, March 20th at 4:30 pm vs. Glendale Prep. Go Gladiators!
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It was an active spring break for Gladiator athletics-especially track and field.
Over the break high school track and field set 19 personal records and 3 school records!
School records are:
- 110 meter hurdles-Vinamra Kumar
- 4 X 100 relay- team of David Moore, Brian Martins, Vishesh Kumar, and Vinamra Kumar
- 3200 meters- Jordan Black
Jordan's record makes him the currently #1 ranked Division 4 runner in the state for the 3200 meters. Great job to all and super great job to Jordan!
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Registration for the 2018-2019 school year is due by Friday, March 23rd
Re-enrollment for North Phoenix Prep students, currently in 7
th
– 11
th
grade, began March 1
st.
You should have received an email asking you to confirm your student’s intent to return for the 2018-2019 school year. Please follow the re-enrollment ins
tructions in the email and return all required paperwork to the Archway Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) during designated hours. Please consult the
Sign Up Genius
for days and times to return completed packets. PLEASE DO NOT SEND RE-ENROLLMENT PACKETS TO SCHOOL WITH YOUR STUDENT/S. Please contact Angela Tanigawa with questions or if you did not receive your re-enrollment email.
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O'Keeffe, and Picasso, to name a few. They will spend the morning strolling the galleries and sharing in conversations about
the artwork. This is sure to be an amazing experience and highlight of the year.
Students will be gone in the morning and return during 4th Period.
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Attention North Phoenix Prep Middle School Students!
You are invited to the 7th & 8th Grade Social at Flip Dunk this
Friday, March 23rd from 7pm-9pm
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NPX Prom 2018
GENERAL INFORMATION
The 2018 Junior-Senior Prom will take place on Saturday, April 21, 2018 from 7:00pm-10:00pm. Location and theme will be revealed after spring break! Ticket purchases are online only. Paper tickets will be provided to those who complete the online order process (ALL orders must be placed by April 19). North Phoenix Prep Prom is for current NPX junior and senior high-school students and registered guests (see below for guest registration requirements). The dance is a closed event—no student will be permitted leave the event and return. Email Ms. Kara Harris at
kharris@northphoenixprep.org with any questions.
TICKETS
Tickets on sale starting March 9.
All tickets must be pre-purchased
online here by April 19.
Early Bird Pricing:
$60 through April 6
$75 through April 19.
REGISTRATION & GUEST POLICY
ETIQUETTE AND DISCIPLINE
All students are expected to conduct themselves with dignity, modesty, and grace. Students are asked to refrain from inappropriate displays of affection, including kissing and any intimate physical contact, including intimate dancing. Additionally, the following will not be tolerated and are grounds for immediate dismissal from the dance and further disciplinary action:
• possession or use of alcohol, tobacco, or any other illicit substance
• failure to follow chaperone instructions
• violation of attendance protocol, dress code, or basic etiquette
FORMAL ATTIRE REQUIRED
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North Phoenix Preparatory | 14100 N. 32nd Street | Phoenix AZ | 85032 | 602-996-4355
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