WELCOME
Welcome to The Odyssey Family of Schools. In March of 2008, our first informal parent's meeting took place at the Buckeye Chamber of Commerce. On January 13, 2009, The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools granted us our charter. The Odyssey Family of Schools started off in a strip mall with over 400 scholars in kindergarten through sixth grade. In the fall of 2010, we opened up the Odyssey Buckeye Apache campus with 600 scholars. In 2011 we opened up the Odyssey Goodyear campus, followed by the opening of the Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies for junior high and high school in 2012. In the 2016-2017 school year, the Sienna Hills elementary school campus and the Junior High campus were officially opened. Today, the Odyssey Family of Schools consists of five campuses educating approximately 3,000 scholars from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
Enrollment for the 2023 - 2024 school year is now open. Click here to begin the process.
Tours are Now Available! Please check with your desired campus for tour information.
All campuses provide time in the month for tours. These tours are open to prospective parents and parents of currently enrolled scholars. They are at designated times and may vary depending on the campus. A parent must contact the front office to schedule a tour, space is limited. Children are not permitted so as to minimize disruptions to the classes.
To inquire about available space for the current school year, please click here.
Who We Are
Our youngest scholars begin their learning adventure at The Iliad Preschool where they are exposed to academics, foreign languages, art, music, physical education, and making responsible choices. The quest for knowledge continues as scholars navigate their way through our phenomenal Odyssey Preparatory Academies and The Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies. The journey concludes–not simply with college admission–but by the wholehearted admission of life-long scholars and principled individuals into a global society in which they are prepared to flourish and lead. We emphasize our mission, vision, and core values every day.
Vision
Parental Rights Handbook
Our Mission
Info Night Overview
Small Groups
Teacher Recruiting
Core Values
- At The Odyssey Family of Schools every scholar matters and all scholars will be empowered to use their talents in order to grow emotionally and academically.
- The Odyssey Family of Schools will promote an environment of excellence and professionalism.
- Growth isn’t always measured by test scores.
- Scholars will be challenged and will feel safe to explore and learn new things on a daily basis.
- All scholars will be engaged in a learning environment of creativity and fun.
- At The Odyssey Family of Schools all team members are appreciated and valued for their hard work everyday.
- Teachers, staff, parents and the Buckeye/Goodyear Community are all team members.
- All team members will engage each other through positive communication and display appropriate behavior.
By reciting these values every morning, posting them prominently in every classroom, referring to them frequently throughout each school day, (and even removing them from the wall and taking them with us on a fire drill!) we emphasize their importance and model our respect for guidelines and rules. At The Odyssey Preparatory Academy we actively seek to create and nurture a culture of academic excellence and ethical behavior that is embraced by all team members. Our bar of expectation is set nothing short of excellence for our scholars, staff, and faculty.
As a school of choice, we acknowledge that the challenges of our academic pacing and our emphasis on individual scholar responsibility may not be the best fit for every family. However, for those who are willing and able to make a commitment to the rigors of Navigating Knowledge, Creating Character, Launching Leaders, and Focusing Globally…we say, Let the adventure begin!
Four Pillars
Pre-Enrollment
The Odyssey Family of Schools is excited you’re interested in enrolling at one of our schools. Enrollment slots are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the date that complete pre-registration information is submitted. Enrollment preferences for children of employees and governing board members and siblings of enrolled scholars are given as per ARS §15-184. Enrollment for the 2023 - 2024 school year is now open. Click here to begin the process. Completed enrollment documentation must be submitted within ten days of the offer or the offer will expire and pre-enrollment must be completed anew.
To inquire about available space for the current school year, please click here.
School Calendar
State of Arizona Tax Credit
- Field Trips
- Sports
- Drama Choir
- Band Clubs
Campus Information
In The News
Odyssey Institute Junior High Wrestling Thrives In Inaugural Year
In its first season, the Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies Junior High wrestling program saw success in the form of three state champions.
Odyssey Scholar is Awarded International Baccalaureate DP Programme Scholar of the Year
Bree Dickson, a scholar at The Odyssey Institute for International Studies has been awarded the prestigious accolade of IB Diploma Programme co-Student of the Year award from the Arizona International Baccalaureate Schools Association (AZIBS). Bree Dickson, a current senior at Odyssey Institute was awarded the honor at the AZIBS first quarterly meeting in September. Dickson was chosen from scholar submissions from across the state by the AZIBS board as the co-scholar of the year based on her essay submission, academic standing, and teacher recommendations based on the IB Learner Profile. Bree was awarded a plaque and $400 dollar scholarship from AZIBS.
High School Volleyball Improves to 12-1
The Odyssey Institute High School Volleyball continues to succeed on the court.
Governance
The Odyssey Preparatory Academy Family of Schools operates as one district composed of TOPA-Buckeye; TOPA-Goodyear; TOPA-Sienna Hills and The Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies. District-wide information can be found below
Public Notices:
Board meetings for The Odyssey Preparatory Academy will be held at 1495 S. Verrado Way, Buckeye, AZ 85326. The meeting agendas are posted on this website below and at the Junior High Building at 1495 S Verrado Way, Buckeye, AZ. Agendas will be posted no less than 24 hours prior to the meeting. Meeting Minutes from any prior meeting not posted are available upon request.
If the meeting is being held virtually, the following zoom link will be used. The Zoom Link will also be posted on the meeting notice.
***Board meetings are typically held on the second Tuesday at 10 AM of each month if a quorum can be met.
Board Meeting Notices:
Notices are in chronological order. Please scroll to the bottom for the most recent notice.
July 8th, 2014 Notice of Public Hearing – Expenditure Budget for 2015
FY 2020 Budget Adoption Hearing Notification
January 14th, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes
March 19th, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes
April 9th, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes
June 27th, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes
July 9th, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes
July 18th, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes
July 19th, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes
August 13th, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes
September 10th, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes
FY 2021 Budget Adoption Hearing Notification
September 8th, 2020 Board Notice
October 15th, 2020 Board Notice
November 9th, 2020 Board Notice
December 7th, 2020 Board Notice
Special Board Meeting 8/30/2021
September 15th, 2021 Board Notice
September 29th, 2021 Board Notice
October 19th, 2021 Board Notice
November 8th, 2021 Board Notice
November 11th, 2021 Board Notice
December 13th, 2021 Board Notice
January 11th, 2022 Board Meeting Canceled
February 7th, 2022 Board Notice
March 16th, 2022 Board Meeting Postponed
May 2022 Board Meeting Postponed Notice
June 2022 Board Meeting Postponed Notice
FY 2023 Budget Adoption Hearing Notification
September 13th, 2022 Board Notice
October 7th, 2022 Board Notice
November Board Meeting Postponed
December 12th, 2022 Board Notice
January Board Meeting Postponed
June 27, 2018, Budget Worksheets
TOPA’s 3rd Core Value is “Growth is not always measured by test scores.” We will always adhere to the core value as we know scholars learn more when they are engaged in meaningful learning, not simply test-taking skills. However, we also understand that AZ Merit scores always pique public interest; as a way to make TOPA’s AZ Merit scores easy to read, we have compiled the following data by campus. To see the result graphs for 2022 school year, click here: 2022 AZ Merit.
The Director of Special Education/Section 504-Title II Coordinator can be reached at: Director of Special Education/Section 504-Title II Coordinator 1495 S. Airport Rd. Buckeye, AZ 85326 623-327-1757 (Phone) 623-327-0554 (fax) Holly Johnson (admin@topamail.com) Any person who believes she or he has been subjected to discrimination, harassment, or retaliation on the basis of disability may file a grievance under this procedure. TOPA prohibits retaliation against anyone who files a grievance or cooperates in the investigation of a grievance. Procedure: Grievances must be submitted to the Section 504/Title II Coordinator within six months of the date the person filing the grievance becomes aware of the alleged discriminatory action.
A complaint should be, but is not required to be, in writing, containing the name and address of the person filing it. The complaint must state the problem or action alleged to be discriminatory and the remedy or relief sought. If the Complainant is unable to put the complaint in writing, TOPA shall provide reasonable accommodations to assist the Complainant with submission of his/her complaint. (Note: Please see the attached Complaint form, which may be used to file a complaint in conformance with these procedures).
The Section 504/Title II Coordinator (or her/his designee) shall conduct an investigation of the complaint. This investigation may be informal, but it must be thorough, affording all interested persons an opportunity to submit evidence relevant to the complaint, including the opportunity to present witnesses. The Section 504/Title II Coordinator will maintain the files and records of TOPA relating to such grievances.
The Section 504/Title II Coordinator will issue a written decision on the grievance no later than 30 days after its filing, unless extenuating circumstances require an extension of the 30 day timeline. In such a case, the Section 504/Title II Coordinator (or her/his designee) will communicate with the Complainant concerning the need for an extension.
The person filing the grievance may appeal the decision of the Section 504/Title II Coordinator by writing to TOPA’s Co-Directors within 15 calendar days of receiving the Section 504/Title II Coordinator’s decision. The Co-Directors shall issue a written decision in response to the appeal no later than 30 calendar days after its filing.
TOPA shall maintain confidentiality as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The availability and use of this grievance procedure does not prevent a person from filing a complaint of discrimination on the basis of disability with the U. S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. TOPA will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that disabled persons are provided other accommodations, if needed, to participate in this grievance process. Such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing interpreters for the deaf, providing taped cassettes of material for the blind, providing a scribe for submission of the complaint, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings. The Section 504/Title II Coordinator will be responsible for such arrangements.
The intent of Child Find is that all children from birth through age 21 with delays or disabilities are identified, located and evaluated to receive the supports and services they need.
- Early intervention supports and services assist families of children who are eligible by helping children ages Birth to three yearsdevelop to their full potential. In Arizona, early intervention services are provided through the Arizona Early Intervention Program (or AzEIP).
- Preschool special education services for children ages 3 to 5 provide special strategies to help children reach their developmental milestones.
- Special education services for school-aged children in kindergarten through the age of 21 provide specialized instruction and services to assist children in the educational environment.
AZEIP:
The Arizona Early Intervention Program, also known as AzEIP (pronounced Ay – zip), is a statewide system of support and services for families of children, birth to three, with disabilities or developmental delays. For more information, please download this form: Early-Intervention-Program-AZEIP.
Pursuant to A.R.S. 41-1351 and the General Records Retention Schedule for School Districts and Charter Schools Student Records (#000-11-53) established by Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records (L.A.P.R), Special Education Records (including placement records, referrals, evaluations, testing data, and other related records) will be destroyed "four (4) years after the fiscal year of final enrollment."
The Odyssey Preparatory Academy will destroy all special education records that are older than five years as of May 31, 2023. Before these records are destroyed, eligible individuals have the right to review the records and obtain copies of any information needed. To review/obtain these records, please email the special education department prior to June 1, 2023. Destruction will take place on June 15, 2023.
Scholar Enrollment, Etc. Record Requests:
Please send this type of request to info@topamail.com.
Public Records Request:
We will acknowledge receipt of a public records request within 5 business days. This does not mean that you will be provided the documents requested within 5 business days, but simply that we have received your request and will respond.
Please send your requests to:
Stephanie Crawford Hiatt
scrawford@topamail.com
623-826-0761
FY22 Charter Board Transparency
Click here to view the FY22 Annual Financial Report as submitted to the Arizona Department of Education.
FY22 Charter Board Transparency
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT
For information regarding the procedural safeguards for Section 504, please click here.
PROCEDURAL MANUAL:
“Section 504,” is a federal statute that prohibits discrimination against persons. For more information, please click here: 504ProceduralManual
This link leads to the machine-readable files that are made available in response to the federal Transparency in Coverage Rule and includes negotiated service rates and out-of-network allowed amounts between health plans and healthcare providers. The machine-readable files are formatted to allow researchers, regulators, and application developers to more easily access and analyze data.
Critical Information about Transparency in Medical Coverage: https://www.cigna.com/legal/compliance/machine-readable-files
- Kathryn Tracy
- Jeff Caler
- Holly Johnson
- Megan Olson
- John Bauer
- Neil McDonald