ARISE Campus Reopening

A Message from Karla, Our Head of School

Dear ARISE Community,

This past year has put our community through many layers of trauma and has further exposed inequities in our society, all of which we aim to deconstruct and change as ARISE Warrior Intellectuals. Throughout all the challenges our community has brought levels of love and support that continue to awe and inspire me. We should not have to be so resilient and strong, it is not fair to put such a burden on all of us. I am therefore continuously driven to keep working with you all to reimagine and build a world where instead of asking for grit and resilience we design liberation and beloved community. 

Thank you for your continued patience and perseverance throughout online learning and all your engagement and feedback around campus reopening. I have heard you and continue to take all of your feedback with the utmost humility and respect. After many listening meetings with you all and informed by the guidance of the CDC, County, and State, I am excited to announce that for the 2021-2022 school year, we will be reopening the ARISE campus and doing 100% in-person instruction. All students & staff are required to wear masks at all times inside & outside the school building.

Starting in Fall 2021, we will be implementing a new 4x4 schedule where students will take 4 classes per semester instead of 6 classes year-round. Please read more about the 4x4 schedule below, as well as our other priorities for our strong campus reopening.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me anytime (karla@arisehighschool.org).

Our Reopening Plan Priorities

Student Sustainability with 4x4 schedule:

• All courses will be semester-long except for Math, which will remain year-long.

• Students have fewer classes to manage per semester and more time for enrichment programs, community internships, and work-based learning.

• Semester classes emphasize depth over breadth while more classes per year mean students take more electives, have more choice, & earn more credits.

• If a student fails a required class, the student can repeat the class next semester and not delay progress toward graduation.

develop strong support systems:

• We have redesigned our student support systems by increasing the number of support staff, including FOUR academic counselors (one per grade level) and an entire team of ARISE alumni as Academic Mentors & classroom TAs.

• Our new Enrichment Coordinator & Athletics Director will work with our Linked Learning Pathway Team & partner with community organizations to offer enrichment, internship, and employment opportunities beyond the classroom for ARISE students on Wednesdays. See the bell schedule for more info.

maintain Commitment to safety:

• We are committed to strong adherence to CDC, State, and County Guidelines and providing PPE (masks, dividers, shields, custodial supplies, etc) for all stakeholders. Read our COVID-19 Prevention Program & Safety Plan.

• We are prioritizing vaccination for all staff and families that qualify and access to COVID testing on campus. Visit our COVID-19 Resource Hub for more info.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW:

• We are asking all students to please get vaccinated to prevent community outbreaks and to keep everyone safe. Please contact Karla (karla@arisehighschool.org) if you need support.

• Students and families will not need to purchase any school materials except a backpack. We do ask that you please return the school Chromebook for it to get serviced and placed back in carts.

• You can find info about our dress code, attendance/tardy policy, and other school-wide expectations here.

4x4 Bell Schedule (2021-2022 School Year)

*First 4-6 weeks of school: continued Advisory time for students not yet enrolled in Enrichment

Important Dates

• Student Photo Days: Monday & Tuesday, August 9-10

• First Day of School (Fall 2021): Monday, August 16

• Orientation (All Students): August 16 - 20

• First Monthly Family Meeting: Thursday, August 19

• Advisory Retreats (All Students): Wednesday, August 25

• Back to School Night (Students & Families): Friday, September 10, 5-7 PM