DesertAcademy

April 14-16, 2010

Each year, our students have the opportunity to participate in Interim week during April. Interim is a yearly program at Desert that allows students to spend three, intensive days with their peers and teachers in a fun, in depth course of study.  These courses may take the form of trips, outings, workshops, activities, or classes. This is a great opportunity for students to engage in intensive learning about a subject not otherwise included in the Desert Academy curriculum.

This year, our students will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of interim activities including:

• San Francisco/Oakland to work with the Blind Babies Foundation
• San Diego for track meets
• Gila Wilderness Backpacking Trip
• Comedy Improv Workshop
• Tennis Camp
• The Geek Way”:  A Celebration of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Gaming
• “Allons au Cinema!” (French Cinema)
• Georgia O’Keefe Art Tour
• Fly Fishing Adventure
• Mind/Body Awareness (Meditation/Yoga/Nia)

Click to download the interim registration forms below:
Interim Catalog 2010

interim_registration

Addendum_interim

Saturday, February 27th, 9:00-12:00

Desert Academy’s much-anticipated Merit Scholarship event will be held next Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 9am to noon. It is open to all prospective new students grades 7 through 12. The deadline to submit the Merit Scholarship registration form to the school is Friday, February 26, 2010 at 12pm. Please tell your friends!

The deadline for regular admissions to Desert Academy is also Friday, February 27, 2010. For more information, call Polly White at (505) 992-8284, ext. 14 or email pwhite@desertcademy.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17th at 6:30pm

Parents and students of all grades are invited to come find out about the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme here at Desert.  We will be discussing the nature, structure, and benefits of the programme, how and why students elect to become diploma candidates, how students in the lower grades can best prepare themselves through their course selection, and we will be available to answer any questions that you might have about IB at Desert.  This is a MUST for any student interested in becoming a part of the Diploma Programme.  Prospective parents and students who are interested in IB are also welcome to attend.  If you have any questions about the event, please contact the Diploma Programme Coordinator, Colin Pierce at extension 28, or by email at cpierce@desertacademy.org

Saturday February 6, 2010 10:00 am to 12:15 pm.

Desert Academy’s Relief Efforts for Haiti: Coming together as a community to help.

Relief efforts for Haiti and Haitian refugees in the Dominican Republic are already underway at Desert Academy. As a school committed to local, national and international community awareness, education and support via programs like Sharing Our Humanity, Desert Academy students, faculty and staff have come together through our clubs and organizations to raise funds for survivors of the Haitian earthquake. But we need help.

Do YOU want to help but don’t know how? Join Desert’s efforts and help us make a bigger impact!

There are many ways to help through your own child’s school:

• CLICK HERE TO DONATE THROUGH FIRSTGIVING.COM. This is a safe, secure online donation site we have created to allow you to make donations via credit card for our trip and fundraising efforts.
• Donate to the Red Cross with Desert Academy. Kay Rice, Director of Development, is accepting ongoing donations for the Red Cross. Please contact her at krice@desertacademy.org or at (505) 992-8284, ext. 23
• Make a healthy pledge to the high school Dance-a-Thon (Jan. 28th). The Dance-a-Thon is a high school fund-raising event whose proceeds will specifically benefit impoverished Haitian communities and refugees. For more information or to make a direct donation, contact Jessica Cavalli at jcavalli@desertacademy.org.
• Purchase your court-side concessions at home basketball games from the Wildcats Snack Shack, sponsored by the Desert Leo Club. All proceeds go toward service work, supplies and financial support in impoverished Haitian communities.
• Join Desert’s National Honor Society in an awareness and fund-raising campaign for Haiti. For more information on how to help, contact Jocelyne Comstock at jcomstock@desertacademy.org.
  Support the Desert Academy Student Council in its fund-raising efforts. For more information on how to get involved, contact Randy Bennett at rbennett@desertacademy.org.

Our Desert community may be small but we are powerful, and we can make a difference!

Saturday, January 30th, 6:30pm
” A Parisian Soiree” will take place Saturday, January 30 at 6:30pm inside the Farmers Market building at the Santa Fe Railyard. Please join us for a fabulous evening to celebrate Paris in the 1920’s and ’30’s!  We’ll enjoy complimentary champagne, French food, a strolling accordion, period songs by our own Catherine Robinson, the dance band “Soulstice,” and wonderful, unique silent and live auction items.  Our MC, Tom Maguire and our auctioneer, Scott Rice will keep things lively!   Viewing auction items & purchasing tickets couldn’t be easier- just click on the  link www.desertacademyauction.com to access our auction website:   Please help us to support Desert by inviting your friends! Don’t you have 5-7 friends to whom you could mail an invitation to? You can pick up invitations at the front desk.
Volunteers are needed in the afternoon for setup and for the night of the event.
If interested in volunteering, please call Kay Rice: 992.8284 ext 23, krice@desertacademy.org.
Donations: We invite you to make a donation to underwrite staff tickets to the event or  to sponsor a portion of the evening. Please use the form on your email response card to indicate your interest, or call Kay. Look for an email next week with more details!

A Requirement for Juniors & their parents

When: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Time: 6:30 pm
Where: Big Room

College night is an opportunity to learn about the nuts and bolts of the college application and decision process, and to explore the ways that Desert’s college counseling program assists you and your student.  Desert Academy’s Head of College Counseling, Colin Pierce will give a presentation on the fundamentals of the college search, and our guest speaker Mark Truman, the founder of Omniac Education, will address the issue of how to finance your student’s college education, a topic that is surely on everyone’s mind at the moment.

Click the link below for more information:

DA_College_Night_2010

It’s time to start thinking about applying for next year!

Our Open House on November 20th was a great success—over 250 attendees. If you weren’t able to attend the Open House, you can still plan to attend our Visitor Day on February 6, 2010.

Visiting students are with us!
Desert Academy students are hosting prospective students most Fridays through March 5. If you would like to schedule a “shadow” visit, please call Polly White at (505) 992.8284, ext. 14.

Parents are always welcome at Desert Academy!
You can visit with the Admissions Director, tour the school, talk to available members of the faculty, and get a glimpse of classes in action. Please call for an appointment.

Often families are interested in receiving an early decision on their child’s application to Desert Academy. A 5% tuition discount is available to students who are enrolled through the early admission process. The early admission option is not available for those who plan to apply for Financial Aid because our Financial Aid decisions are made in March. The early admission deadline is January 15, 2010. The regular admissions and financial aid application deadlines are February 27, 2010.

All application materials are available on the Admissions page.

Grandparent’s Day Baking Contest

Tuesday, November 24, 2009
12:10-1:45 – Attend classes with your grandchild.
2:00-3:15 – Enjoy our Thanksgiving celebration and homemade desserts from the baking contest!

Tuesday, November 24 is our celebration of Thanksgiving, honoring the grandparents of our students. “Desserts at Desert” is an event for the whole family! We have received many entries to the baking contest and we’ll have fun, Thanksgiving-themed prizes. Remember, grandparents may visit classes beginning at 12:10 on Tuesday and then at 2:00 we’ll have a short program and announce the baking contest winners – and then, of course, enjoy all of the desserts. Hope to see you Tuesday!

Shadowing and Visitor Day at Desert Academy
As a means to get to know Desert Academy even better, students are requested to attend either our Visitor Day on Saturday February 6, 2010 or to spend a morning shadowing a current Desert student. Visitor Day will allow parents to hear from panels of faculty and staff regarding important areas of your child’s education at Desert Academy. Students will have in-depth classroom experiences in a variety of subjects.

Families may also choose to attend one of our of shadowing mornings. Parents are invited for morning coffee with Terry Passalacqua, Head of School. This is an opportunity for an informal discussion about the school and the programs we offer. Prospective students will be matched with a current Desert Academy student and will attend classes with them for the morning. Shadowing dates: November 20; December 4, 11; January 8, 15, 22, 29; February 5, 19, 26 and March 5. Drop off is at 8:15am and pick up is at 12:10pm.