DPA families,

Every Day Matters!

We are continuing to build incredible momentum as we move through the school year, and we want to take a moment to highlight something that makes a tremendous difference in our scholars’ success: attendance. Every day matters!

When scholars are at school each day, they are not only learning new content—they are building relationships, practicing routines, participating in meaningful discussions, and developing the habits they need to be successful. Even one missed day can mean missing an important lesson, a key skill, or a moment that helps a scholar feel connected to their school community.

We know that life happens, and there are times when absences are unavoidable. Our goal is simply to partner with families to ensure that, whenever possible, scholars are here, on time, and ready to learn. Consistent attendance is one of the most important ways families can support their scholar’s growth and achievement.

Thank you for helping us make every day count. We are excited about all that is ahead and grateful to have our families as partners in making this a successful year for every scholar!

 See the DPA Attendance policy HERE.

School Year 26-27 Calendar LINK

Here’s What’s Coming Up…

Dear DPA Scholars and Families,

NWEA MAP testing will take place September 15–16th, with testing beginning promptly at 9:00 AM each testing day.

NWEA is an important opportunity for scholars to demonstrate what they know and establish a strong starting point for the year. These results help us measure academic growth and proficiency and understand each scholar’s progress toward college readiness.

Our Goal: Two Years of Growth for Every Scholar

At DPA, we have set an ambitious goal: 100% of our scholars will demonstrate two years of academic growth in NWEA.

Reaching that goal begins with scholars giving us their very best effort during this first round of testing. We want every scholar to take their time, read carefully, persevere through challenging questions, and show us what they truly know.

How Families Can Help

Please support your scholar by ensuring they:

• Arrive at school on time, at 8:30 and ready to begin testing at 9:00 AM sharp.

• Get a good night’s sleep before testing.

• Eat a healthy breakfast each morning.

• Approach the assessment with focus, seriousness, and their best effort.

There is nothing scholars need to study for NWEA. We simply need them to come prepared to show what they know.

Thank you, families, for partnering with us as we work toward our goal of two years of academic growth for every scholar.

Together, we can ensure every scholar starts strong and continues moving toward college readiness.

Arrival to School (Middle School)

We believe in consistency and routine for our scholars so that they can maximize their learning time, feel a sense of safety and community, and be set up for a successful day.  To this end, arrival to school begins promptly at 7:45 AM.  Students have time to enjoy socializing and activities in the gym with their teachers and peers from 7:45 – 8:05 AM, and then move swiftly to class with their teachers to begin their day.  We appreciate your support ensuring your scholar arrives to school no later than 8:15 AM (and ideally at 7:45!) so that we can support them in having a strong, positive start to the day.

DPA High School Bus Transportation (High School)

Scholars who take the DPA bus from the Middle School campus to the High School campus must arrive at the Middle School no later than 8:00 AM. The bus will depart promptly at 8:10 AM.

Please note that the High School has an earlier start time this school year, which requires the bus to leave the Middle School campus earlier. This change is necessary to ensure that all scholars arrive at the High School on time and ready for class, which begins promptly at 8:45 AM.

Scholars who arrive after the bus has departed will need to arrange alternative transportation to the High School campus. Being on time matters. Every minute of instruction is valuable, and consistent attendance and punctuality help our scholars build the habits they need for success.

We appreciate your continued support and partnership in ensuring that scholars are in school every day and on time. Together, we can keep our scholars on the path toward DPA’s 4 C’s: College, Career, Computer Science, and Community.

Uniform Expectations (Middle School & High School)

Digital Pioneers Academy is a mandatory uniform school. Championship teams wear uniforms, and at DPA, we are one team across both campuses. Therefore, all scholars are expected to arrive in the proper school uniform every day.

Please note that loaner uniforms will no longer be available. If a scholar arrives out of uniform, they will be dismissed to return home, change into the proper uniform, and then return to school.

Cell Phone Policy (Middle School & High School)

To create a focused learning environment, DPA has a strict no cell phone policy. All scholars are required to turn in their cell phones upon arrival each morning. We believe that eliminating distractions allows scholars to fully engage in learning and maximize their academic success.

If a scholar refuses to turn in their cell phone or attempts to bring and conceal it in the building, the following consequences will apply:

• First Offense: The scholar will spend the remainder of the school day in In-School Suspension (ISS), limiting access to classroom instruction. A staff member will contact the family to inform them of the policy violation and the consequence.

• Second Offense: The scholar will be subject to our “No Phone, No Entry” policy. Scholars who refuse to turn in their phone will not be admitted into the building and will be sent home. A staff member will contact the family to explain the situation.

If there is ever an emergency, scholars will always have access to a phone in the front office or may use a staff member’s phone to contact a parent or guardian.

 A Partnership for Scholar Success

Families, we need your support by ensuring your scholar arrives at school every day on time, in full uniform, prepared to learn, and ready to meet our expectations. Together, we can make the 2026–2027 school year our best year yet as we move from good to great!

Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to the success of every DPA scholar.

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