Academic calendar
School Year 2026-2027 runs Aug 24, 2026 – May 28, 2027. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- School Year 2026-2027Relevant now
Campus language
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Showing 34 of 34 terms
A
- A La Carte
- Individual food items or snacks purchased separately from the standard school meal.
- A, B, C Lunch
- The three rotating shifts for midday meals determined by a student's third-period class schedule.
- A, B, or C Lunch
- The specific lunch shift assigned to a student based on their mid-day classroom location and teacher.
- ACHS
- The standard acronym used by students and staff to refer to Ankeny Centennial High School.
- Ankeny
- Often used by Centennial students to refer specifically to the rival Ankeny High School (AHS).
B
- BPA
- Business Professionals of America; a club for students interested in business, finance, and office administration.
C
- Centennial
- The common shorthand used to distinguish the school from the cross-town rival, Ankeny High School (AHS).
D
- DECA
- An association of marketing students that competes in business-related events.
F
- FCA
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a student-led religious organization.
G
- GSA
- Gender and Sexuality Alliance, a club providing a safe space for LGBTQ+ students and allies.
H
- Hawk-Jag
- The annual rivalry game or competition between Centennial and Ankeny High School (the Hawks)
- Hawks
- The mascot of the rival Ankeny High School, used when discussing cross-town competitions.
J
- Jag
- Short for Jaguar, the school mascot; used to refer to any student or athlete at Centennial.
- Jag Nation
- The collective term for the student body, faculty, and fans, often used in social media and at pep rallies.
- Jag Pride
- The school's motto representing the core values of leadership and integrity.
- Jags
- The official mascot and collective shorthand for the student body and athletic teams.
- Jaguar Way
- The school's official framework and motto for positive behavior and student expectations.
M
- Main Line
- The primary cafeteria line serving the daily scheduled hot meal.
N
- NHS
- National Honor Society, recognizing students who meet high standards of scholarship and service.
O
- Open Campus
- The privilege granted to seniors allowing them to leave the school grounds during their designated lunch period.
S
- SADD
- Students Against Destructive Decisions; a club focused on promoting healthy choices and safety.
- SAGA
- Sexuality and Gender Alliance; a student organization for LGBTQ+ students and allies.
- SchoolCafe
- The digital platform and app used by students to manage lunch accounts and view menus.
- Silver Cord
- A distinction and graduation honor earned by students who complete 120 hours of community service.
- Silver Pride
- A common phrase used to denote school spirit and excellence in academics or athletics.
- STUCO
- Student Council, the primary student government organization.
T
- The Caf
- The school cafeteria where lunch is served daily.
- The Commons
- The main cafeteria and social hub where students eat lunch and gather before school.
- The Jag Stop
- The school-run store where students can purchase snacks, beverages, and Centennial-branded apparel.
- The Jaguar Way
- The school's core values and behavioral expectations: Caring, Committed, and Courageous.
- The Jungle
- The official name for the Centennial student cheering section at athletic events.
- The Pit
- The designated student cheering section at home athletic events, known for high energy and themed attire.
- The Rivalry
- Refers to the intense athletic and academic competition between Centennial and Ankeny High School (AHS).
- The Talon
- The name of the student-run newspaper and media outlet.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- ACHS
- The official four-letter acronym for the high school used in schedules and official documents.
- Advisory
- A mandatory scheduled period for students to meet with a teacher for academic support, school news, and social-emotional learning.
- Black & Silver Days
- The alternating block schedule system used to designate which classes meet on a given day.
- Black and Silver
- The official school colors, frequently used to designate dress themes for 'spirit days'.
- Black Day
- The block schedule day consisting of even-numbered class periods (2, 4, 6, and 8).
- Canvas
- The learning management system where teachers post course materials, syllabi, and daily assignments.
- Centennial
- Common shorthand for Ankeny Centennial High School (ACHS).
- centennial_high_school_cafeteria
- Centennial High School Cafeteria
- DMACC
- Des Moines Area Community College, referring to dual-enrollment courses taken for both high school and college credit.
- Infinite Campus
- The online portal and app used by students to check grades, attendance, and class schedules.
- Jag Time
- The school's advisory or homeroom period used for academic intervention, meetings, and school-wide announcements.
- Jaguar Stadium
- The primary outdoor athletic facility for football, track, and soccer.
- Jaguar Time
- A scheduled advisory or homeroom period used for academic intervention, meetings, and school-wide announcements
- Late Start
- The modified Monday morning schedule where classes begin one hour later than the standard Tuesday-Friday time.
- Late Start Monday
- The weekly delayed start schedule used for staff professional development.
- Media Center
- The school library and resource hub for research and quiet study.
- Northview
- Northview Middle School, the 8th-9th grade building that feeds into Centennial.
- Open Campus
- A privilege for juniors and seniors with good standing to leave the building during lunch or study hall.
- PLC
- Professional Learning Community; the reason for Monday late starts, referring to staff development time.
- PLC Mondays
- The weekly late-start schedule where classes begin later to allow for teacher Professional Learning Communities.
- Silver Cord
- A volunteer program where students earn a cord for graduation by completing 120 hours of community service.
- Silver Day
- The block schedule day consisting of odd-numbered class periods (1, 3, 5, and 7).
- Southview
- Southview Middle School, the other 8th-9th grade feeder building for the district.
- The Auditorium
- The performing arts venue used for school plays, concerts, and assemblies.
- The Den
- The designated student section within the gymnasium during basketball and volleyball games.
- The Hub
- The central online resource page for students to find daily announcements and school news.
- The Jag
- The school's athletic stadium or main gymnasium, named after the Jaguar mascot.
- The Jag Gym
- The main gymnasium where basketball games, volleyball matches, and pep rallies are held.
- The Main Gym
- The primary indoor venue for basketball games, volleyball matches, and school-wide pep assemblies.
- The Media Center
- The school's library and central hub for research, book checkout, and technology assistance.
- The North/South Divide
- Local shorthand referring to the rivalry and geographic split between Ankeny High School (South) and Centennial (North).
- The PAC
- The Performing Arts Center; the venue for school plays, choir concerts, and band performances.
- The Pit
- The designated student section in the gymnasium during athletic events.
- The Stadium
- Ankeny Stadium, the shared athletic facility used by both Centennial and Ankeny High School for football and track.
- The Talon
- The official student-run news publication of Ankeny Centennial High School
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- School Year 2026-2027 runs Aug 24, 2026 – May 28, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 34 approved campus terms and 35 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.