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Sunday, October 25 Update

 

Good evening families,

We are excited to host so many of you for our 10th Annual Trick or Treat event on Thursday. All students, siblings and families are invited for the costume parade and treat gathering after. Reminder that we are an absolutely NUT FREE campus as we have severe allergies on campus and we support ALL students. Please read labels carefully. Healthy snacks and small toys are encouraged. Click for more details and to sign up.  Please be at Arete by 11:15 to get directions and be ready to go.

*Trick or Treating 2026

 

Halloween Spirit Week

Monday, October 26- Decades Day- Dress in any decade

Tuesday, October 27- Tie Dye Day

Wednesday, October 28- Black and Orange

Thursday October 29- Trick of Treat- Wear your Halloween costume!

 

Cinema in Schools 2.0 Assembly 10/27/26

TK-3 9:25-9:55

10-10:55 6-8

For the TK-3rd assembly, we'll reintroduce media arts & moviemaking with story-telling elements and how technology needs to be balanced with imagination & play & human connection. SKIT & SEL self-regulation with mind & body wellness. simple tools to help themselves feel more ready to learn and handle everyday challenges. We will be building skills that students can use throughout the school day and at home.

For the 6th-8th assembly, we’ll cover media arts and consumption, screen time safety, technology influencing human connections, AI feelings reflection, creative avenues using media, looking for young filmmakers, SKIT & SEL self-regulation with mind & body wellness. 

Mrs. Codiga’s and Mrs. McKnight’s classes will have starring roles in the assembly

 

Hey there Arete Parents/Guardians, 

Arete Charter Academy needs you to complete this online survey to learn more about your opinions about it. This survey is an opportunity to communicate your perceptions about your child’s school. This letter explains the survey and, at the bottom of the page, provides your URL and access instructions. If you have any questions about this survey, contact Sarah Schwartz at [email protected] 

The purpose of this survey is to obtain parent perceptions about the school.

Your participation is voluntary. It is also very important. The information you provide will help guide district and school efforts to promote safety, enhance learning supports, and improve student achievement.

  • This is an anonymous survey. It is designed so that no one can be identified from the data. You do not have to respond to any questions that you feel could be used to identify you. Simply skip any such questions. 
  • All questions apply to this school only. 
  • The results are for the use of your district. The California Department of Education and WestEd will preserve data confidentiality and refer any data requests to the district. 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESSING THE SURVEY

If you have more than one child at this school, you will only need to complete one survey for this school. Please fill out just one survey about the school using your oldest child as a reference.

After the first page of the survey, you will be able to change the language to one of 18 options.

Access the survey using the following URL: 

https://wested.ugam-apps.com/wested/ts/i1gt 

Troubleshooting

If you are having trouble taking the survey, check the following:

  • Make sure you are entering the website address correctly.
  • Does the survey welcome page show the correct name of your school?
  • Make sure you have entered the URL (in the URL bar, NOT THE SEARCH BAR).
  • Still having trouble? Contact your survey coordinator.

Thank you for taking the time for our school

 

🐉 Arete’s 4th Annual Dragon Fair!

Join us for a fantastic community event celebrating our school and local creators! This is a wonderful opportunity for young entrepreneurs to gain hands-on practice making, marketing, and selling their own items.

Whether you're selling or just shopping, come out and support our amazingly talented families!

📅 Event Details

  • When: Friday, November 13 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Set Up: Begins at 10:30 AM
  • Who Can Participate: Current and former Arete students and parents
  • Sign-Up & Payment Deadline: Friday, October 30th (We must have 10 entries to hold the fair).

🎪 Vendor Information

  • Booth Size: 10' x 10'
  • Setup Requirements: BYO (Bring Your Own) booth, tables, chairs, and display supplies.
    • Note: We have a limited number of school tables available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you need one, please request it in the comments section when you sign up!

🎟️ Raffle & School Support

Please bring two items to donate to our Dragon Fair Raffle! All proceeds from the raffle directly fund vital school needs, including:

  • Sports & P.E. equipment
  • New library books
  • Science gear
  • Assemblies

🛍️ Not Selling? Come Shop for Christmas gifts for friends and family!

Even if you aren't hosting a booth, please mark your calendar and join us! Bring friends and family to browse all the cool, handcrafted creations made by our community while supporting Arete.

Ready to reserve your spot? Please complete the sign-up form below and submit payment by Friday, October 30th.

Arete’s Dragon Fair 2026
 

 

🔗 Quick Links

*View the 2026-2027 Parent Calendar here 

*Trick or Treating 2026

*Arete’s Dragon Fair 2026

*Arete Approved Curriculum 2026-2027

*Fall Semester Enrichments

*Arete Planning for the 2026-2027 School Year

*Academic Enrichment Sign Up

By*Click here to sign up for Blended Middle School

*K- 12 Arete Piano Lab - Semester One Registration 26/27

*Vendor Budget Form 2026-'27

*Supplies Budget Form 2026-'27

*Curriculum Budget Form 2026-'27

*Edlio- See all of the postings we have ever made!
 

See Important Dates for the Entire School Year Here

October 26

9-11

Dragon’s Lair Productions- Room 15

October 27 

9:25-9:55 K-3th

10-10:55 6-8th

Cinema in Schools: Filmmaking Workshops & Digital Literacy ASSEMBLY 

October 27 

12:15-1:15 

Art Paint a Pumpkin

October 28 

12:15-1

Cooking Class Sushi Art
 

October 28 

1:150

Snack AttackEgg Rolls and Dipping Sauce

October 28  

2-2:45

Bread Art Dumplings and Dipping Sauce

October 29 

11:30-12

Arete’s 10th Annual Trick or Treat Event

October 30 

4-8th Grade kiddos- 12-12:50

Math Olympiad Room 5

October 30 

1 -2

Chess Club in Room 5

Dragons' Lair Productions

Are you in grades 5- 12? Are you interested in video production, camera work, or audio gear? Mrs. McKnight is looking for 5 enthusiastic students to join the Student AV & Video Production Crew! You’ll get to run live events and produce media projects for Alta Sierra, Cottage Hill, Magnolia, and Arete. No prior experience is needed—Mrs. McKnight will teach you everything from camera operation to Final Cut Pro video editing. Spots are extremely limited to just 5 crew members, so apply today! 

 

Please fill out the Dragons' Lair Production Application to apply.

Healthy Kids Survey

Hey there Arete Parents/Guardians, 

Arete Charter Academy needs you to complete this online survey to learn more about your opinions about it. This survey is an opportunity to communicate your perceptions about your child’s school. This letter explains the survey and, at the bottom of the page, provides your URL and access instructions. If you have any questions about this survey, contact Sarah Schwartz at [email protected] 

The purpose of this survey is to obtain parent perceptions about the school.

Your participation is voluntary. It is also very important. The information you provide will help guide district and school efforts to promote safety, enhance learning supports, and improve student achievement.

  • This is an anonymous survey. It is designed so that no one can be identified from the data. You do not have to respond to any questions that you feel could be used to identify you. Simply skip any such questions. 

  • All questions apply to this school only. 

  • The results are for the use of your district. The California Department of Education and WestEd will preserve data confidentiality and refer any data requests to the district. 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESSING THE SURVEY

If you have more than one child at this school, you will only need to complete one survey for this school. Please fill out just one survey about the school using your oldest child as a reference.

After the first page of the survey, you will be able to change the language to one of 18 options.


Access the survey using the following URL: 

https://wested.ugam-apps.com/wested/ts/i1gt 



 

Troubleshooting

If you are having trouble taking the survey, check the following:

  • Make sure you are entering the website address correctly.

  • Does the survey welcome page show the correct name of your school?

  • Make sure you have entered the URL (in the URL bar, NOT THE SEARCH BAR).

  • Still having trouble? Contact your survey coordinator.

Thank you for taking the time for our school

A Friendly Reminder from the Library: Caring for Our Books Together!

Dear Students and Families,

We hope you are having a wonderful school year!

Our school library is a special place where students can discover new stories, explore interests, and foster a lifelong love for reading. To ensure all of our students continue to have access to a rich and exciting collection of books, we need your help in taking extra care of our library resources.

Recently, we have noticed a high number of library books being returned with damage—such as torn pages, broken spines, and water or liquid spills. While I work hard to repair damaged books whenever possible, limited time and resources make it difficult to keep up with all the repairs. When a book is damaged beyond repair, it often has to be removed from circulation, which means fewer books for everyone to enjoy.

How Families & Students Can Help:

  • Keep Books Safe: Store library books in a dedicated, safe place at home (like a reading desk or bookbag) when not being read, away from pets, younger siblings, and food or drinks.
  • Protect Against Liquids: Always make sure water bottles in backpacks are tightly closed or kept in a separate pocket away from books. And that any surfaces are clean and dry before placing books on them. 
  • Handle with Care: Use bookmarks instead of folding page corners, and turn pages gently from the top or side.
  • Return Damaged Books Promptly: If a book is accidentally damaged, please let us know when returning it rather than trying to fix it at home with tape, as library book repair requires special archival materials. Anything beyond my abilities and tools or excessive damages will require replacement or payment for the item. 

Thank you so much for your partnership and support in keeping our library collection clean, safe, and available for all of our readers!

Happy reading,

Kate Dabney

pic
So proud of our sophomore, Grayson Morgan, for applying, being selected and participating in this esteemed program.
 
He said his favorite parts were getting his CPR certification, presting his project and visiting the OR. 
 
The Nevada County Superintendent of Schools (NCSOS) proudly hosted its annual Exploring Careers in Health Institute during Fall Break, October 12–15, 2026. The four-day immersive program provided 20 high school students from across the county with hands-on experience and direct mentorship in the healthcare field.
 
Sponsored by NCSOS, the institute was created to inspire students interested in medical and health careers while strengthening vital connections between local education and community healthcare providers. Thanks to the support of key partners—Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, the Sierra College Nursing Program, Grass Valley Fire Department Station #2 and local Nevada County
First Responders—participants engaged in department tours, career mentorship, and clinical skills training.
 
Throughout the week, students explored core departments at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, including the Cancer Center, Surgery, Cardiology, and Labor & Delivery. They gained insights into hospital chaplaincy and physical therapy, participated in a "Lunch with Doctors" Q&A session, and earned certifications in CPR and First Aid.
 
At Sierra College’s Rocklin campus, students met with leadership to discuss post-secondary educational pathways, licensing requirements, and career opportunities in modern healthcare. In the Nursing Simulation Lab, participants put learning into action—taking vital signs, practicing wound care, learning about medication administration, and inserting nasogastric tubes on
simulation manikins.
 
On the final day, students connected with local firefighters and EMTs in Grass Valley to explore emergency medical services (EMS) careers. During a tour of the fire station, students witnessed real-time call responses, gaining a firsthand look at the fast-paced nature of emergency response.
 
To round out the experience, participants completed a final capstone project showcasing a healthcare pathway that inspired them. During a closing ceremony, students presented their projects to family, friends, and Nevada County Superintendent of Schools John Baggett, who presented them with program completion and CPR certificates.

Scales and Tales- Logo Needed

The votes are in and Arete’s new school wide reading club is called Scales and Tales! We need your help designing a logo/picture to be used on all of our club information. Every student is invited to submit up to 2 original drawings that reflect the name “Scales and Tales.” Hand drawn and digital art accepted but no AI allowed. Entries are due 10/30 to the school office or emailed to [email protected]. The literacy committee will review the entries and post the winning logo in November. We can’t wait to see your creativity come alive!
 
The winning designer will receive an Arete T shirt of their choosing!

5-8th Grade Girl's Basketball is still alive!!

We have some exciting news, the district has agreed to help pay for use of a gym in Penn Valley. Practices will take place Monday-Thursday around 3pm-5pm. Practices will alternate between Penn Valley, Magnolia, and Arete. Finalized practice and game schedule will be sent out. Fees are $175 for the season for hybrid and homeschool parents and free to BMS students.
 
Mrs. Whalen needs to know by Tuesday October 20th by 12pm if your child is 100% committed to playing. We need a minimum of 10 players. If you have previously said you are interested, please confirm if your child will be playing. Please email [email protected] if you are interested.
 
The session began today, we will have a little late start. Better late than never!

Spirit Wear Sales Are Here

Order forms are in the front office adn will be passed out at 20 Day Meetings. We must have 24 orders.

*Hoodies- $25 Youth and Adult sizes Small, Medium, Large, XL

*T-Shirts- $15 Youth and Adult sizes Small, Medium, Large, XL

-Colors Available Red, Grey, Black. Logo is 8.5”

-This year you can also bring in your own items to be printed on!

*Bring in Your Own CLEAN Item- $5. You can bring any cloth type item you want printed on. I.E. Tote bag, tank tops, zipper hoodies. Just let us know if you want it printed on the front or back. The size of the logo cannot be changed. Please place your item in a bag with your child’s name on it.

Please submit orders and payment to the front office by November 13, 2026. Orders will arrive before Christmas.

*Payments can be a check written to PRSD, mymealtime.com, exact cash or 

Venmo @prsdpayment. https://www.venmo.com/u/prsdpayment. The last four digits of the phone number is 3421.


-If using Venmo or My Mealtime, Please make sure the following is included with each payment.  *Arete Charter Academy *Student Name *Spirit Wear

Sunday, October 18 Update

 

Good evening families,

Hope you all had a wonderful break. Cheers to lower temperatures coming!

 

School Pictures

October 20 and 21 from 9-11:30. Families can place orders online at mydorian.com before picture day and for up to 2 days afterwards. We have two sets of basic picture packages available per day for parent helpers. Email [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering to help that day.

 

Cinema in Schools 2.0 Assembly 10/27/26

TK-3 9:25-9:55

10-10:55 6-8

For the TK-3rd assembly, we'll reintroduce media arts & moviemaking with story-telling elements and how technology needs to be balanced with imagination & play & human connection. SKIT & SEL self-regulation with mind & body wellness. simple tools to help themselves feel more ready to learn and handle everyday challenges. We will be building skills that students can use throughout the school day and at home.

For the 6th-8th assembly, we’ll cover media arts and consumption, screen time safety, technology influencing human connections, AI feelings reflection, creative avenues using media, looking for young filmmakers, SKIT & SEL self-regulation with mind & body wellness. 

Mrs. Codiga’s and Mrs. McKnight’s classes will have starring roles in the assembly

 

Dragons' Lair Productions

Are you in grades 5- 12? Are you interested in video production, camera work, or audio gear? Mrs. McKnight is looking for 5 enthusiastic students to join the Student AV & Video Production Crew! You’ll get to run live events and produce media projects for Alta Sierra, Cottage Hill, Magnolia, and Arete. No prior experience is needed—Mrs. McKnight will teach you everything from camera operation to Final Cut Pro video editing. Spots are extremely limited to just 5 crew members, so apply today! 

Please fill out the Dragons' Lair Production Application to apply.
 
 

 

Arete’s 10th Annual Trick or Treat Event

On Thursday, October 29th All Arete kiddos can dress in their Halloween costumes and will Parade and then Trick or Treat around the playground at 11:30.

All students who are not on campus that day may sign up to come Trick or Treat with their parents. Please reserve a spot for each kiddo who you are bringing on campus that day! Please do not "show up" that day if you are not signed up or we will not have enough treats/toys. We need volunteers and treats or toys for the Trick or Treating. There are two parts to this Sign Up. 

Part 1- Sign up to bring in your students if they do not normally attend school on Thursdays. 

Part 2- Sign up to come in and hand out 40 treats/toys. This only works if people come in to help that day! All treats should be absolutely 100% NUT FREE. Please sign up for something if you plan on attending! Even if your kids normally attend on Thursdays, we still need people to bring treats and pass them out! Please be here by 11:15 to get directions and be ready to go.


This is a BRING YOUR OWN BAG EVENT!!! We will NOT be providing disposable bags this year. Please bring or send in a bag for your kiddo and maybe an extra for a kiddo who forgot. 

Trick or Treating 2026

 

🐉 Arete’s 4th Annual Dragon Fair!

Join us for a fantastic community event celebrating our school and local creators! This is a wonderful opportunity for young entrepreneurs to gain hands-on practice making, marketing, and selling their own items.

Whether you're selling or just shopping, come out and support our amazingly talented families!

📅 Event Details

  • When: Friday, November 13 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Set Up: Begins at 10:30 AM
  • Who Can Participate: Current and former Arete students and parents
  • Sign-Up & Payment Deadline: Friday, October 30th (We must have 10 entries to hold the fair).

🎪 Vendor Information

  • Booth Size: 10' x 10'
  • Setup Requirements: BYO (Bring Your Own) booth, tables, chairs, and display supplies.
    • Note: We have a limited number of school tables available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you need one, please request it in the comments section when you sign up!

🎟️ Raffle & School Support

Please bring two items to donate to our Dragon Fair Raffle! All proceeds from the raffle directly fund vital school needs, including:

  • Sports & P.E. equipment
  • New library books
  • Science gear
  • Assemblies

 

🛍️ Not Selling? Come Shop for Christmas gifts for friends and family!

Even if you aren't hosting a booth, please mark your calendar and join us! Bring friends and family to browse all the cool, handcrafted creations made by our community while supporting Arete.

Ready to reserve your spot? Please complete the sign-up form below and submit payment by Friday, October 30th.

Arete’s Dragon Fair 2026
 

 

We would love to have you add photos to our yearbook drive throughout the year. *Click here: Yearbook Photo Share

*Create an account.

*Then you can upload. Thanks!
 
 

 

🔗 Quick Links

*View the 2026-2027 Parent Calendar here 

*Trick or Treating 2026

*Arete’s Dragon Fair 2026

*Arete Approved Curriculum 2026-2027

*Fall Semester Enrichments

*Arete Planning for the 2026-2027 School Year

*Academic Enrichment Sign Up

By*Click here to sign up for Blended Middle School

*K- 12 Arete Piano Lab - Semester One Registration 26/27

*Vendor Budget Form 2026-'27

*Supplies Budget Form 2026-'27

*Curriculum Budget Form 2026-'27

*Edlio- See all of the postings we have ever made!
 
See Important Dates for the Entire School Year Here
 

10/9, 10/19 - 10/20

  

Session 2 Meetings

October 12-16

  

October Break

October 19 

2-3

Art w/Friends Halloween Wood Garland

October 20 

9-11:30

School Pictures

October 20 

12:15-1:15 

Art Paint a Pet

October 21 

9-11:30

School Pictures

October 22 

12:15-1:30

Science Adventures in STEAM

October 23 

4-8th Grade kiddos- 12-12:50

Math Olympiad Room 5

October 23 

1-2

Chess Club Room 5