Back to School

GENERAL REMINDERS 

1. Please do not have food delivered to the school. We do not accept food deliveries for students, and we are trying to minimize the number of visitors to the building. If you need to drop off anything, please contact the office to set up an appointment.  
2. It is imperative that students who carry medication, including inhalers or any other medication complete the appropriate medical paperwork. The forms can be found on our website’s Parent Resources page or provided through the main office.  
3. Lost and found items are in the office or on the bench near the office. Please remind your students to check there for any lost items. We dispose of items after about a month.   
4. Yearbooks from previous years are still available. Email Ms. Allen (callen@artsacacd.net) if you are interested in purchasing one. The cost is $55. The 2023 yearbook can be purchased at Lifetouch using school code 13547724.
   

Parent Orientation 

We will host the 2024 Parent Orientation meetings on August 28 with two sessions, 8:30am and 3:00pm. The meetings will last approximately 30 minutes. Attending a meeting is optional, but recommended and we will share that information in upcoming newsletters.  

Student Orientation  

New students will take part in orientation on August 28 from 8:30 – 3:30. Students should be dropped off at Door #3, by the flagpole.  

New Students will be provided with an Arts Academy T Shirt. Please complete this survey to ensure your student has theirs: New Student T-Shirts 

Overview –   

• Students will start in the gym for a drum circle (paper schedules will be passed out)  
• Students go to the advisory to meet with their advisory teacher and Orientation leaders 
• Stations for photos, PowerSchool, tie dye, and scavenger hunt  
• Lunch outside in the west parking lot  
• Back in advisory rooms for overview/icebreaker activities, and how to use PowerSchool  
• Walk schedule  
• Back in the gym for staff slideshow and assembly 

We have 3 main goals for orientation: 

1. Students will have pictures taken for their school ID and Yearbook. 
2. Students will get their schedules.
3. Students will learn about the Academy and how they can be successful! 

Returning Students – AUGUST 29th– Returning students picture day and schedule pick up

• 7th and 8th grade – 9:30-10:30 
• 9th grade -9:30-11:30
• 10th grade – 10:30-11:30 
• 11th grade – 11:30-12:30 
• 12th grade – 12:30-1:30 

Picture Day  

Picture day will be part of orientation on August 28 and returning students will be have a scheduled time on August 29.

Our school picture vendor is Schoolpictures.com. Additional information is available on their website. You can click the link on their homepage that reads: Order Pictures, then enter our school keyword: AA3940Fall24.

Picture Day Retake Day: TBD

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 from 8:30 – 3:31 PM.

Students should arrive no later than 8:25 a.m. and are to report to the Cafegymatorium for a short assembly. 

Please have your student bring a printed or digital copy of their schedule from PowerSchool, a notebook, and a writing utensil on the first day of school. 

• To ensure continued enrollment at the Academy, returning students must complete the Back-to-School information updates at Family Information Gateway. This will allow families to provide addresses, contacts, medical updates, and other essential information. 

• All families should complete the Household Information Form application available at Household Information Family Portal 

• There is information on the Parent Resource Page that will assist families with communicating with the Academy’s staff. 

• We recommend that all families register using our online payment provider E Funds for Schools 

• All students will have access to Microsoft Office.com and should use that to communicate with teachers and staff. 

Edible Rex will provide food service options to our students this year for both breakfast and lunch.

The schedule and cost are as follows: 

• BREAKFAST – Daily from 7:30 – 8:30 AM.  

• LUNCH – Daily during scheduled lunch periods.  

We are pleased to inform you that the State of Michigan has approved funding for all students in Michigan public schools to have healthy meals.  

The GREAT NEWS is that ALL students enrolled at our school can receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at NO CHARGE each day. However, students will be charged for items purchased a la carte. 

To help ensure that we continue to have access to all available funding resources, please complete the Education Benefit Form 

The Academy utilizes the SchoolMessenger service to notify families of current and ongoing events as well as attendance issues and weather related school closures. The service will automatically notify your family if your student is absent or tardy. This system uses your email and phone number as listed in PowerSchool to send messages. Please be sure we have your most current contact information. (Visit the website for links to Unified Classroom and how to update your information.) If you receive a message that you believe may be in error, please contact the main office.

Our most important tool for communication is PowerSchool/Unified Classroom. Please be sure that you check PowerSchool regularly.   There are instructions for logging-in available on our website. If you are having difficulty accessing or understanding the information in PowerSchool, please contact the main office.

Finally, remember to stay connected with us through our website at www.artsacad.net, through PowerSchool, and through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/artsacad. In addition to these communication portals, we will be sending regular emails, so make sure that we have your most current contact information!

The Academy has an annual (non-refundable) Materials Fee of $50 that we charge every student for general supplies related to attending our school. Examples of costs this fee covers are choir gown/costume cleaning fees, instrument repairs, specialized art supplies, USB drives, printing fees, art framing expenses, science lab fees, just to name a few. This balance can be viewed in Powerschool and paid in the office or via Efunds.

Supplies needed to attend our school and participate in our programs are covered by this fee; however, we do recommend that students have basics like writing utensils and paper/notebooks, especially for the first day of school.  

A guide for Arts Academy families

Your first stop is almost always the teaching staff – Your teachers are here to help you!

The Academy’s teaching staff is the first line of communication for parents and students with questions about day to day activities.

The following general topics can usually be resolved by talking to teachers:

• Questions, comments or concerns about academic achievement or classroom discipline issues
• Questions about assignments or test grades

Who can help me with…?

Counselor (counselors@artsacad.net)

• Exploring career interests, or researching and developing career plans
• Information about credit recovery, dual enrollment, or Early College enrollment
• Exploring college and post High school programs of study
• Individual or group counseling recommendations
• Help coordinating community/agency programs

Social Workers

• Learning about food banks, community mental health agencies, therapists, psychiatrists
• Learning about assistance and resources for homelessness
• Need for a liaison between outside agency and school
• Socio-Emotional issues a student is having that is hindering their learning

Student Support Services, Vice Principal

• Questions about MAP testing procedures or results
• Information on parent orientation or the AAW Parent Teacher Association
• Need for instructional support due to academic, attendance, or behavioral issues

Parent Liaisons

• Want to host a Shadow Student
• Want to help out with Open House, festivals, or other outreach events
• Have a friend/relative who wants to attend the Academy
• Need help finding a carpool to/from school
• Think of transferring to another school district

The Principal

• General questions about the school
• Questions about school policies and procedures
• Questions about school-wide discipline issues or concerns
• Questions about the school’s mission or philosophy
• Concerns about the way an issue is handled by a staff member

The Board

The board is the last step for resolving an issue at AAW and they should be contacted for the following issues

• Appealing a disciplinary measure
• Proposing ideas for new programs or policy changes
• Concerns that have not been adequately addressed by school administrators

The board can also be contacted during their regular, monthly Board meetings. Dates and times are listed on the school calendar.

You can also send an email to:  aawboard@gmail.com

Still can’t figure out who to talk to?  Try asking our parent liaisons in the Main Office or email them at arts.academy.woods@gmail.com

The  Main  Office  at  Arts  Academy  in  the Woods  is  available  for  walk-in questions and by phone Monday – Friday during regular school  hours.

Student schedules will be posted in PowerSchool for returning students on Monday August 26. If you do not remember your log-in information, you can check the Student PowerSchool Log info in the sidebar. If that doesn’t work, please email Mrs. Allen callen@artsacad.net  

New students will receive their usernames and passwords for Unified Classroom during new student orientation.  

To request schedule changes, please complete the Schedule Request Form  Students should follow their original schedule until they receive an updated schedule from a counselor or administrator. 

All schedule change requests that are turned in by August 31st will be addressed before the first day of school in a way that best meets the student’s academic and artistic needs. Unfortunately, not all requests can be implemented, but we will do our best to honor your requests. 

If your student would like to request a schedule change, please complete the Request Schedule Change form on the Counseling page of the website. We will do our best to address changes submitted as soon as possible. We will continue to address change requests after the first day of school.

7:00 AM – 8:15 AM (7:30 – 8:30 AM Breakfast is Available) 

Door #3 (by the flagpole) will open at 7:00 am. Students arriving early must report to the gym until 8:15 AM. Students should remain on the first floor until 8:15 AM. 

8:15  – 8:45 AM – Door #14 (Student Entrance in West Parking Lot) Open for Students 

8:45 – 3:45 all doors locked. Enter building at Door #17.

3:45 PM – Doors Close for Students 

All students must exit the building by 3:45 PM, or be in the Hangout, a staff-sponsored club, workshop, or an after-school activity. 

Students should enter the building before 8:30 at door #3, by the flagpole.  

Between 8:15 and 8:45, the Student Entrance will also be open for students.

After 8:45, students should enter at the main office entrance, Door # 17.  

Students who drive should park in the student parking lot near the field. 

Door #3 and Door #14 are locked after 8:45 and students should enter through Door #17 after that.   

Pick up and drop off procedures.

1. Please be respectful of our families who are picking up and dropping off. Please allow cars to merge into line and be patient while waiting to merge. Please move your car as far to the front of the line as space allows. Follow the arrows and allow other cars space to move around you if you are waiting for your student. 
2. Please be respectful of our neighbors during pick up and drop off. Do not make U-turns on Caroline. There is not enough room and you will end up driving over lawns. Please drive around the building or approach Door #3 from the north.
3. Do not enter the fenced area with Fraser Buses off Masonic when dropping off or picking up kids. There are entrances to our parking lots on Caroline and Masonic. 

The ‘Hangout’ Procedures for 2024

All students must submit the Hangout registration form and behavioral contract, signed by both the student and parent BEFORE the student may utilize the Hangout. The registration forms and full details can be found on the Hangout page of our website or in the main office. 

Please complete the Hangout Registration form prior to Tuesday, 9/3/24 if your student plans to utilize the Hangout on the first day of school. 

Registration is required prior to attending. Forms may be found on our website under Parent Resources or in the main office. 

Registration fee is $50 per student and can be paid using E Funds or by check in the main office. No daily rate will be charged this year.

For new transfer students and 7th graders, please review this updated information from the Michigan Health Department  Vaccines Required for School Entry in Michigan