Welcome

GateWay Early College High School is committed to providing a safe, welcoming and secure learning environment for every student. To help us maintain a safe campus, all visitors must follow the check-in procedures below. These steps ensure we know who is on campus and help us respond quickly to any safety needs.

Checking In

All visitors must enter through the main office. 

When you arrive, please be prepared to:

• Show a government-issued photo ID
• Share the purpose of your visit
• Tell us who you are here to see

Visiting a Classroom

To protect instructional time and ensure minimal disruption:

• All classroom visits must be scheduled in advance with the school principal or their designee.
• Same-day or unscheduled classroom visits cannot be accommodated.
• Once approved, the office will confirm your visit and provide instructions for check-in on the day of your appointment.

This process helps teachers prepare and ensures that student learning remains the top priority.

Visitor Badges

Your visitor badge helps staff and students know you’ve checked in properly. Please:

• Wear your badge where it is easy to see
• Return the badge to the office when you leave

While on Campus

We ask all visitors to:

• Follow school and district rules
• Respect student privacy
• Follow staff directions and safety procedures

Checking Out

Before leaving campus, please stop by the main office to:

• Sign out
• Return your visitor badge

This helps us maintain accurate records and ensures our campus remains secure.

Special Situations

• Custody restrictions will be followed based on the legal documents the school has on file.
• Law enforcement agencies checking in for non-emergency reasons will follow the same process as other visitors.
• Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) checking in for non-emergency reasons will follow the same process as other visitors.

Large events (games, concerts, ceremonies) may use modified check-in procedures approved by district leadership.

GateWay Early College High School has in-person and online resources to assist all parents or community members in their preferred language. Free language assistance, auxiliary aids, and/or accommodations are available upon request. For more information, please contact (602) 286-8759.

In accordance with A.R.S. §15-903(E), as amended by Laws 2018, Ch. 285, §10, a local educational agency's (LEA) budget must include the prominent display of the average salary of all teachers employed by the district or charter for the budget and prior years, and the increase in the average salary of all teachers employed by the district or charter for the budget year reported in dollars and percentage.

Average Teacher Salary Increase

Increase in average teacher salary from the prior year $2,600
Percentage increase — 3.7%
Average Teacher Salary 2024–25: $69,372
Average Teacher Salary 2025–26: $71,972

2027 Proposed Budget Adoption Hearing Notice

This is a notification that GateWay Early College High School will be having a public hearing and board meeting to adopt its Fiscal Year 2027 Expenditure Budget.

Meeting Date: June 9, 2026
Time: 4:30 p.m.

Location:
Rio Conference Center
2323 W. 14th St.
Tempe, AZ 85281

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting:

Contact: Elza Macias
Phone: 480-731-8125
Email: [email protected]

Board Agenda: View the agenda

Remote Meeting Information:

The June 9, 2026, Governing Board Meeting will be conducted entirely remotely via WebEx. There will be no physical meeting location. Members of the public may listen to the meeting live by phone and may watch the livestream beginning at 4:00 p.m.

• WebEx URL: Forthcoming
• Dial-In: +1-602-666-0783
• Meeting Access Code: Forthcoming

The information above is posted on ADE's website pursuant to A.R.S. §15-905(C) and is not intended to satisfy Open Meeting Law requirements under A.R.S. §38-431.02 et seq.

2027 Budget Adoption Hearing Notice

This is a notification that GateWay Early College High School will be having a public hearing and board meeting to adopt its Fiscal Year 2027 Expenditure Budget.

Meeting Date: June 23, 2026
Time: 4:30 p.m.

Location:
Rio Conference Center
2323 W. 14th St.
Tempe, AZ 85281

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting:

Contact: Elza Macias
Phone: 480-731-8125
Email: [email protected]

Board Agenda: View the agenda

The information above is posted on ADE's website pursuant to A.R.S. §15-905(C) and is not intended to satisfy Open Meeting Law requirements under A.R.S. §38-431.02 et seq.

Notice of Public Meetings: Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, GateWay Early College High School hereby states that all notices of the meetings of GateWay Early College High School will be posted at 108 N. 40th Street, in the Main (MA) Building at MA2350 and on the following website: https://maricopa.community.diligentoneplatform.com/portal/.

The location is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Such notices will indicate the date, time and place of the meeting, and will include an agenda or information concerning the manner in which the public may obtain an agenda for the meeting. If you have questions about the MCCCD Board or Board meetings, please contact the Governing Board Assistant at (480) 731–8889.

For questions about the high school, please call (602) 286-8759 GWECHS.
Annual Financial Reports
Governing Board Operations

Dashboard Categories and Links Financial Performance Dashboard

To request public records, click here.

GateWay Early College High School (GWECHS) is committed to fostering meaningful collaboration between the school, families, and the community to support student success. Our Parent Engagement Policy aligns with the Arizona Department of Education’s family engagement standards and federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requirements.

1. Purpose

• This policy outlines GWECHS's approach to engaging parents and families in their children's education, ensuring a supportive and effective learning environment. 

2. Guiding Principles

• Equity & Inclusion: We provide equitable access to engagement opportunities for all families, regardless of background. 
• Collaboration: We view parents as equal partners in their children's education.
• Communication: We ensure two-way, culturally responsive communication.
• Capacity Building: We equip both staff and families with the skills and knowledge to support student achievement.
• Accountability: We continuously assess and improve our engagement efforts.

3. Key Components 

• Communication & Accessibility 
  • Provide school information through various channels, including emails, newsletters, texts, and the school website. 
  • Offer translation and interpretation services for non-English-speaking families. For any translation needs, contact the GateWay Early College High School administration at (602) 286-8759.  GateWay Early College High School 
  • Conduct regular parent-teacher conferences and open forums.
  • Utilize digital platforms for real-time updates on student progress.
• Family Participation in Decision-Making 
  • Establish Parent Advisory Councils to involve parents in school improvement planning and budgeting discussions.
  • Offer leadership training to encourage parent involvement as part of shared governance.
• Supporting Student Learning at Home
  • Provide workshops on curriculum, homework strategies, and technology tools. 
  • Share online resources for literacy, math, and college/career readiness.
  • Develop family engagement strategies specific to diverse student needs, including special education and English Language Learners.
• Volunteering & Community Involvement 
  • Create flexible volunteer opportunities for parents based on their availability.
  • Partner with local businesses and organizations for mentoring and enrichment programs.
  • Organize school-wide family events to build a sense of community. 
• Professional Development for Staff 
  • Train educators on best practices in family engagement.
  • Educate school leaders on cultural competency and inclusive communication.
  • Foster a welcoming school climate that encourages parent participation.  

4. Implementation & Accountability 

• Develop annual Parent Engagement Plans with measurable goals.
• Conduct regular surveys to assess parent satisfaction and engagement effectiveness.
• Use parent feedback to improve policies and programs.

5. Legal & Policy References

• Arizona Revised Statutes on parental rights in education (A.R.S. § 15-102). 
• ESSA Title I, Part A: Parent and Family Engagement Requirements.
• Arizona Department of Education Family Engagement Toolkit.

For more information or assistance, please contact the GWECHS office at (602) 286-8759.
GateWay Early College High School
We look forward to partnering with you to ensure the success of our students.

GateWay Early College High School (GWECHS) está comprometida con fomentar una colaboración significativa entre la escuela, las familias y la comunidad para apoyar el éxito estudiantil. Nuestra Política de Participación de los Padres se alinea con los estándares de participación familiar del Departamento de Educación de Arizona y los requisitos federales de la Ley Cada Estudiante Triunfa (ESSA).

1. Propósito

• Esta política describe el enfoque de GWECHS para involucrar a los padres y familias en la educación de sus hijos, garantizando un entorno de aprendizaje eficaz y de apoyo.

2. Principios Rectores

• Equidad e Inclusión: Brindamos acceso equitativo a oportunidades de participación para todas las familias, sin importar su origen.
• Colaboración: Consideramos a los padres como socios iguales en la educación de sus hijos.
• Comunicación: Garantizamos una comunicación bidireccional y culturalmente receptiva.
• Desarrollo de Capacidades: Dotamos tanto al personal como a las familias de las habilidades y conocimientos necesarios para apoyar el éxito estudiantil.
• Responsabilidad: Evaluamos y mejoramos continuamente nuestros esfuerzos de participación.

3. Componentes Claves

• Comunicación y Accesibilidad
  • Proporcionar información escolar a través de varios canales, incluidos correos electrónicos, boletines, mensajes de texto y el sitio web de la escuela.
  • Ofrecer servicios de traducción e interpretación para familias que no hablan inglés. Para cualquier necesidad de traducción, comuníquese con la administración de GateWay Early College High School al (602) 286-8759.
  • Realizar conferencias regulares entre padres y maestros, así como foros abiertos.
  • Utilizar plataformas digitales para actualizaciones en tiempo real sobre el progreso estudiantil.
• Participación Familiar en la Toma de Decisiones
  • Establecer Consejos Asesores de Padres para involucrarlos en la planificación de mejoras escolares y discusiones presupuestarias.
  • Ofrecer capacitación en liderazgo para fomentar la participación de los padres como parte de la gobernanza compartida.
• Apoyo al Aprendizaje en el Hogar
  • Proporcionar talleres sobre el plan de estudios, estrategias de tarea y herramientas tecnológicas.
  • Compartir recursos en línea para alfabetización, matemáticas y preparación universitaria/laboral.
  • Desarrollar estrategias de participación familiar específicas para diversas necesidades estudiantiles, incluyendo educación especial y estudiantes del idioma inglés.
• Voluntariado e Involucramiento Comunitario
  • Crear oportunidades flexibles de voluntariado para los padres según su disponibilidad.
  • Asociarse con negocios y organizaciones locales para programas de mentoría y enriquecimiento.
  • Organizar eventos escolares para familias con el fin de fortalecer el sentido de comunidad. 
• Desarrollo Profesional para el Personal
  • Capacitar a los educadores en mejores prácticas de participación familiar.
  • Educar a los líderes escolares sobre competencia cultural y comunicación inclusiva.
  • Fomentar un clima escolar acogedor que incentive la participación de los padres. 

4. Implementación y Responsabilidad 

• Desarrollar planes anuales de participación de los padres con metas medibles.
• Realizar encuestas periódicas para evaluar la satisfacción de los padres y la efectividad de la participación.
• Utilizar la retroalimentación de los padres para mejorar las políticas y programas.

5. Referencias Legales y Políticas

• Estatutos Revisados de Arizona sobre los derechos de los padres en la educación (A.R.S. § 15-102). 
• ESSA Título I, Parte A: Requisitos de Participación de Padres y Familias.
• Guía de Participación Familiar del Departamento de Educación de Arizona.

Para más información o asistencia, comuníquese con la oficina de GWECHS al (602) 286-8759. GateWay Early College High School Esperamos trabajar en conjunto con ustedes para garantizar el éxito de nuestros estudiantes.

To help combat childhood obesity and improve children’s health, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (PL # 108-265) required each local educational agency that receives funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child Nutrition Programs to establish a Local School Wellness Policy (LWP) by the beginning of 2006- 2007 school year. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (PL #111-296) expanded the requirements to bring in additional stakeholders to periodically assess and ensure the compliance and progress of the LWP. 

With this new requirement, the U.S. Congress recognizes that schools play a critical role in creating a healthy environment for the prevention of childhood obesity and for combating other obesity-related diseases, like Type 2 diabetes, which are linked to poor nutrition and physical inactivity. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 places the responsibility of implementing and evaluating a school wellness policy at the local level, so the individual needs of each school can be addressed most effectively. 

The following minimum requirements are established by the federal legislation. Schools may choose to include additional features or to integrate a school wellness policy with other ongoing programs. The legislation requires:

• Goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness in a manner that the local education agency determines as appropriate;
• Nutrition guidelines selected by the local educational agency for all foods available on each school campus under the local educational agency during the school day with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity;
• Assurances that guidelines for reimbursable school meals are not less restrictive than the regulations issued by the USDA;
• Ways of measuring how well the local school wellness policy is being implemented, including designation of one or more persons at each school with operational responsibility for ensuring that the school is meeting its goals;
• Involvement of parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, the school board and school administrators, and the public, in developing, implementing and reviewing the LWP.
• Public updates on the content and implementation of the LWP.

Rationale: 

Schools play an important role for providing children a healthy setting and teaching them the importance of lifelong healthy behaviors. The link between nutrition, physical activity, and learning is well documented. Healthy eating and activity patterns are essential for students to achieve their full academic potential, physical and mental growth, and lifelong health and well-being. These patterns are also linked to reduce risk for certain chronic health conditions, like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and obesity. Schools share the responsibility to help students learn, establish, and maintain lifelong healthy eating and activity patterns. Staff wellness is also an integral part of a healthy school environment, since these adults can be daily role models for healthy behaviors.

Goal: 
All students of GateWay Early College High School (GWECHS) will be provided with the knowledge and skills necessary to choose nutritious food and beneficial physical activity for a lifetime. All staff of GateWay Early College High School will also be encouraged to model and engage students in healthy eating and physical activity as a valuable part of daily life. To meet this goal, GWECHS adopts this school wellness policy with the following commitments to nutrition, physical activity, comprehensive health education, marketing, and implementation. This policy is designed to effectively utilize school and community resources and to equitably serve the needs and interests of all students and staff, taking into consideration differences in culture.

Commitment to Nutrition

GateWay Early College High School will:

• Offer a school lunch program with menus that meet the meal patterns and nutrition standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Arizona Department of Education, Office of Child Nutrition Programs.
• Encourage school staff and families to participate in school meal programs.
• Operate all Child Nutrition Programs with school food service staff who are properly qualified according to current professional standards
• Establish food safety as a key component of all school food operations and ensure that the food service permit is current for the Food Service school site.
• Comply to State Board of Education policies on competitive foods and extra food sales
• Establish guidelines for all foods available on the school campus during the school day with the objective of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity.
• Integrate a comprehensive health education curriculum through a Health course to achieve credit towards graduation.
• Provide parents the opportunity to give feedback on wellness goals through our family engagement activities, parent conferences or surveys.
• Promote staff nutrition education through MCCCD and GWCC wellness initiatives like Personify Health, Wellness Maricopa Webinars, or Annual Health Risk Assessments to encourage staff to model healthy lifelong nutrition behaviors.
• Provide adequate time for students to eat and enjoy school meals (a minimum of 30 minutes at lunch).
• Provide healthy alternative locations to eat and enjoy school meals ( like clean tables, well-lighted cafeteria and outdoor benches).
• Encourage students to make food choices based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 - 2025, by emphasizing menu options that feature baked (rather than fried foods), whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and reduced-fat dairy products.
• Establish an environment conducive to a positive dining experience, with socializing among students and between students and adults; with supervision of eating areas by adults who model proper conduct and voice level; and with adults who model healthy habits by eating with the students.
• Make school meals accessible to all students with a variety of delivery strategies, such as grab-and-go lunches, or alternate eating sites.
• Add nutritious and appealing options (such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, trail mix, beef jerky, reduced-fat milk, reduced fat-yogurt, reduced-fat cheese, 100% juice, and water) whenever foods/beverages are sold or otherwise offered within our school boundaries, including school stores, concessions stands, celebrations, social events, and other school functions.
• Eliminate use of foods as rewards for student accomplishment.
• Encourage all school-based organizations to use services, contests, non-food items, and/or healthful foods for fundraising programs. The sale of candy as a fundraiser is strongly discouraged.
• Provide nutrition information for parents, including nutrition analysis of school meals and resources to help parents to improve food that they serve at home ie: communications regarding Food Bank events, handouts at parent involvement events and access to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 - 2025 Make Every Bite  Count With the  Dietary Guidelines Ninth Edition
• DietaryGuidelines.gov through the school website.

Commitment to Physical Activity

GateWay Early College High School will:

• Implement programs to promote physical activity such as academic incentives for walking/biking to school.
• Provide physical education curriculum taught by a certified highly qualified teacher (examples are: Rec Life, Fitness, Dance or Yoga class).
• Provide classroom physical activity opportunities during the regular school day like kinesthetic learning activities.
• Promote physical activity opportunities after school and Saturdays (examples of Fitness Club, Basketball Club, Volleball Club or Hiking)
• Incorporate non-structured physical activities into the regular curriculum and lunch times (like Check and Connect physical activity matches or student friendly lunch soccer games).
• Phase in structured and non-structured physical activity to include a fitness center and classrooms, an athletic training area, and a wellness education center.
• Promote recreational health runs that highlight health issues in our community such as Jesse Owens 5K Run and GWCC Veteran's 2.5 mile event.

Commitment to Activities that Promote Student Wellness 

GateWay Early College High School will: 

• Offer health presentations or workshops and encourage students and families to participate in them through monthly Coffee Talks and other Family Engagement Events.
• Create a School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) to develop, monitor and review our LWP. The SHAC will consist of required participants such as a teacher, parent, student, counselor and our campus wellness coordinator.
• Incorporate discussions of healthy life style choices into the Check & Connect curriculum.
• Promote healthy choices by prominently displaying healthy foods at the front of the lunch line, use of posters and offering healthy food options at after-school activities.
• Promote the use of the local schools’ gym and local Boys and Girls Club to encourage students to participate in physical activities.
• Provide positive, motivating messages, both verbal and non-verbal, about healthy lifestyle practices throughout the school setting. All school personnel will help reinforce these positive messages.
• Involve students in planning for a healthy school environment. Students will be asked for input and feedback through the use of student surveys, and attention will be given to their comments.
• Promote healthful eating, physical activity, and healthy lifestyles to students, parents, teachers, administrators, and the community at school events (e.g., school registration, parent-teacher conferences, open houses, health fairs, teacher inservices, and other events).
• Eliminate advertising and other materials with in the school boundaries that promote foods of minimal nutrition value.

Commitment to Implementation

GateWay Early College High School will:

• Establish a plan for implementation of the school wellness policy.
• Designate one or more persons to ensure that the school wellness policy is implemented as written.
• Have the SHAC conduct periodic (yearly or bi-yearly) reviews of the progress toward the LWP goals to identify areas for improvement.

Implementation Plan

GateWay Early College High School will: 

• In-service teachers on the LWP prior to the start of the school year.
• Include the activities described above in lesson plans when appropriate.
• Reference the LWP when planning any school activity.
• Maintain a SHAC consisting of at least the following representatives or equivalents: school administrator, a health or science teacher, a physical fitness trainer or teacher, a non-science classroom teacher, a student and a parent.

I. Wellness Goals

HOW TO COMPLETE THIS ASSESSMENT
• Only complete the columns for the current year but save for future years.
• Check "working on this" if your school staff meets about, makes plans, or otherwise takes steps to try to meet this goal.
• Check "successfully completed" if your school fully implements this goal.

Goal: Nutrition Promotion

Nutrition Promotion includes activities and participation in programs that promote and reinforce health and emphasize the school's commitment to a healthy school nutrition environment.

Goal: Nutrition Education

Nutrition education teaches behavior-focused skills and may be offered as part of a comprehensive, standards-based program to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to safeguard health and make positive choices.

Nutrition education is taught in the following grades:

Nutrition education is included in health education lessons or physical education and the following topics are covered:

Goal: Physical Activity

Secondary Students (Grades 6-12) Physical Education Requirement (Choose One):

II. District Policies

District Policy: School Meals Standards

District Policy: Competitive Food and Beverages (Sold to Students)

District Policy: Celebrations and Rewards (Food Served to Students)

III. District Wellness Committee

The school within the district has an designated leadership representative to monitor operations.

IV. Local Wellness Policy Assessment Comparison

LEAs must assess alignment with regional model tracking rubrics. Below are the recorded mathematical subtotals.

Comparison Summary Text Blocks

Areas where our policy aligns well with a model:

Areas that present an opportunity for revision:

Additional District Goals

Information for Parents

If your family lives in any of the following situations:

Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.

Your eligible children have the right to:

• Receive a free, appropriate public education.
• Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.
• Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents.
• Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is your preference.
  
  • If the school district believes that the school you select is not in the best interest of your children, then the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision.
• Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if you request this.
• Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your children's needs.

If you believe your children may be eligible, contact the local liaison to find out what services and supports may be available. There also may be supports available for your preschool-age children.

Información para los Padres

Si su familia vive en cualquiera de las situaciones siguientes:

Sus hijos de edad escolar podrían calificar para recibir ciertos derechos y protecciones bajo la ley federal McKinney-Vento.

Sus hijos elegibles tienen derecho a:

• Recibir una educación pública gratuita y apropiada.
• Inscribirse en la escuela inmediatamente, aunque falten documentos normalmente requeridos para la inscripción.
• Inscribirse y asistir a clases mientras que la escuela obtiene los documentos necesarios.
• Inscribirse en la escuela local; o continuar asistiendo a la escuela de origen (la escuela a la cual su hijo asistió cuando tenía una residencia permanente, o la última escuela en la cual estaba inscrito), si esto es su preferencia.
  
  • Si el distrito escolar cree que la escuela escogida por usted no es la mejor para sus hijos, el distrito tiene que darle a usted una explicación escrita de su posición e informarle de su derecho de apelar su decisión.
• Recibir transporte a/de la escuela de origen, si usted lo pide.
• Recibir servicios educacionales comparables a los que están provistos para otros estudiantes, según las necesidades de sus hijos.

Si usted cree que sus hijos podrían ser elegibles, contacte al oficial para la educación de los niños y jóvenes sin hogar de su distrito escolar para averiguar los servicios y ayudas que podrían estar disponibles. También puede haber apoyo disponible para sus hijos de edad preescolar.