Dear North Phoenix Prep Families,

Greetings, I hope this letter finds you well as you return from the winter break. I am writing with some news of change.

Headmaster Weinhold has accepted a new position as Director of Continuing Education for Great Hearts America and will not be returning for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. Mr. Weinhold has served your school faithfully for the past several years, and we are incredibly grateful for his service. He began his work with Great Hearts at Trivium Prep and has continued to tirelessly further the wonderful work of the Great Hearts mission at North Phoenix Prep. We will miss him and wish him all the best in his new endeavors. Mr. Weinhold has added a personal note of farewell to all of you, which you can find below.

Looking ahead, Mr. Weinhold will finish out the school year, and I am pleased to announce that his successor has been identified and will join the North Phoenix community next week. After a thorough vetting process, we are thrilled to announce that Ms. Corinne Jacobson will step into the role of Headmaster. Ms. Jacobson has been with the Great Hearts network since 2012 working as a teacher, a Dean of Students and Head of Middle School at Arete Preparatory Academy. You can read more about her background here . Below is also a note from her, sharing her excitement at becoming a part of the North Phoenix community.

Over the coming months, Mr. Weinhold and Ms. Jacobson will work together in tandem to ensure a smooth transition. Ms. Jacobson will work closely with me, observing classrooms, meeting with families, and becoming familiar with the community. We will host two meet-and-greets for families so that Ms. Jacobson can introduce herself to you, in person. There will be one scheduled on Thursday, January 30 th at 8:30 AM and one on Friday, January 31 st at 4:00 PM . Both events will be taking place in the Library at North Phoenix Prep.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me.

Sincerely,
Brandon Crowe
Executive Director of Upper Schools, Great Hearts Arizona

Dear North Phoenix Prep Community,

Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to airy thinness beat.

- John Donne

Being your headmaster has been an honor and a privilege since my first step on the old Dream City campus in the Spring of 2016. During our years together, we opened our forever home on 32 nd Street, graduated our first senior class, won our first state championship, and most importantly, cultivated intellectual and moral virtue in the souls of our students. My experience of serving you is truly a treasure that I will hold in my heart forever, and I feel blessed to take that experience with me to a new role as Director of Continuing Education for Great Hearts America. 

I depart knowing that North Phoenix Prep is in a good place. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the faculty, our academic results are consistently outstanding. During each of our years together, North Phoenix Prep has received an “A” rating by the state of Arizona, and we have ranked in the top 10% statewide for proficiency on state exams. Our most recent graduating class earned over $2 million in merit-based scholarships, 3 National Merit Commendations, and scored 218 points above the national average on the SAT. Nearly half of our graduates are attending Honors colleges or Honors Programs. What’s more, it’s a point of pride that we have accomplished all this while serving families from a broad range of income brackets. Among Great Hearts Prep schools in Arizona, we rank 2 nd in students who qualify for Free and Reduced lunch at just over 20%. North Phoenix Prep is not just an Academy that achieves, we are an Academy in which students from all backgrounds achieve.  

I have every expectation that our community will reach even greater heights in the years to come with incoming Headmaster Jacobson. Through the remainder of this school year, I will help her become more familiar with the innerworkings of our community so that she has a smooth start in 2020-2021. Please join me in welcoming her to the Gladiator community and in supporting her leadership as she takes the helm.  

With Devotion,
Paul Weinhold
Headmaster
North Phoenix Preparatory Academy
Dear North Phoenix Prep Colleagues and Families,

When Mr. Crowe extended the opportunity to join the North Phoenix Prep community, I knew it was the right decision for me. I grew up in North Phoenix and attended Barry Goldwater High School.  My high school experience was vastly different from that of a Great Hearts student and although I learned many skills, contemplating Truth, Goodness, and Beauty were not among them.  I was introduced to Great Hearts through a Veritas Prep alumnus who was, at that time, a student in the course I taught at ASU. After witnessing that student’s drive and intellect I had to know more.

Joining Great Hearts in 2012 changed my life.  I was transformed by the rich curriculum and refreshed by the sense of community.  It is truly humbling to push our mission forward by partnering with each family, student, teacher, staff member, and coach.  While I will miss the close-knit community at Arete Prep, I cannot wait to make North Phoenix my new home alongside each of you.  I know that working together we can provide opportunities for each student to thrive academically, athletically, and socially.

I am grateful to Mr. Weinhold for his eagerness to help me learn about our community.  I am blessed to work side-by-side with him before his departure, and I am committed to continuing traditions while elevating our school to new heights.

I look forward to meeting you in person next week.  Go Gladiators!

In Partnership,
Corinne Jacobson
Incoming Headmaster
North Phoenix Preparatory Academy