Academic calendar
School Year 2026-2027 runs Aug 19, 2026 – May 27, 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 37 of 37 terms
6
- 64th and Ward
- The nearby intersection featuring various fast-food options and a King Soopers where students frequently go for lunch.
A
- A-West
- The standard shorthand name for Arvada West High School.
- A/B Lunch
- The two distinct lunch shifts assigned to students based on their mid-day class schedule.
C
- Cat Pack
- The official name for the student cheering section at sports games and pep rallies.
- Cats
- Short for Wildcats, the school's official mascot.
D
- DECA
- Distributive Education Clubs of America; a club for students interested in marketing, finance, and hospitality.
- Dub West
- A stylized nickname for the school, often used in social media hashtags and student chants.
F
- FBLA
- Future Business Leaders of America; a club focused on business education and leadership.
- FCA
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes; a student-led religious organization on campus.
- FCCLA
- Family, Career and Community Leaders of America; a career and technical student organization.
G
- GSA
- Gender and Sexuality Alliance, a student-led club for LGBTQ+ students and allies.
H
- HOSA
- Future Health Professionals, a club for students interested in healthcare careers.
K
- King Soopers
- The nearby grocery store on 64th and Ward where students frequently go for lunch.
- King's
- The nearby King Soopers grocery store, a popular off-campus lunch destination for students.
- Kings
- The nearby King Soopers grocery store, a popular destination for students with off-campus lunch privileges.
N
- NHS
- National Honor Society, an organization for high-achieving students focused on service.
O
- Off-campus
- The privilege for juniors and seniors to leave school grounds during lunch to eat at nearby businesses.
P
- Purple and Gold
- The school colors, frequently used as a shorthand for school spirit or dress codes.
- Purple and White
- The school colors, often used to refer to school spirit or specific spirit days.
- Purple Day
- A block schedule day consisting of odd-numbered class periods (1, 3, 5, 7).
- Purple Out
- A spirit day or event where all students are encouraged to wear purple to support the Wildcats.
S
- SADD
- Students Against Destructive Decisions; a peer-to-peer education and activism club.
- STUCO
- Student Council, the primary student government organization.
T
- The Caf
- The main school cafeteria where lunch is served daily.
- The Claw
- The school's signature hand gesture (mimicking a wildcat claw) used during the fight song and pep rallies.
- The Commons
- The central cafeteria and social hub where students eat lunch.
- The Den
- The designated student cheering section at athletic events, particularly in The Pit.
- The Plaza
- The shopping area near the school frequently visited by students for food during breaks.
- The Square
- Arvada Square, a nearby shopping center with various fast-food options popular for lunch.
- The West
- A common nickname for the school, also the title of the official student news publication.
- The West Side
- A term of school pride often used in chants, cheers, and on social media to refer to the student body.
- The West Way
- The school's official code of conduct and cultural philosophy emphasizing respect and excellence.
- The West Word
- The name of the student-run news publication and website.
- The Westwind
- The name of the official student-run news publication and website.
W
- White Day
- A block schedule day consisting of even-numbered class periods (2, 4, 6) and Advisement.
- Wildcat Nation
- The collective term for the student body, staff, and alumni, often used in social media and at sporting events.
- Wildcats
- The official mascot and collective name for the student body.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Advisement
- A dedicated period for school news, academic support, and social-emotional learning.
- arvada_west_cafeteria
- Arvada West Cafeteria
- Counseling
- The office suite where students meet with academic advisors and social workers.
- Hall Pass
- The digital or physical permission required for students to be in the hallways during class time.
- IC
- Infinite Campus; the digital portal used by students and parents to track grades, schedules, and attendance.
- Infinite Campus
- The online portal and app used by students to check grades, schedules, and attendance.
- Jeffco Student ID
- The mandatory identification card required for checking out books, buying lunch, and entering school events.
- Late Start
- The weekly Wednesday schedule where classes begin later than usual to allow for teacher professional development.
- LMC
- The Library Media Center; the school's library and primary quiet study space.
- Off-Campus
- The privilege granted to juniors and seniors to leave the school grounds during the lunch period.
- Purple Day
- A block schedule day where students attend their odd-numbered periods (1, 3, 5, 7).
- Purple/White Days
- The block schedule system where students attend odd-numbered classes on Purple days and even-numbered classes on White days.
- Schoology
- The learning management system where teachers post assignments, course materials, and digital quizzes.
- The 100/200/300 Wings
- The numerical designations for the different hallways and classroom blocks.
- The Auditorium
- The primary venue for theater productions, concerts, and large school presentations.
- The Aux
- The auxiliary gymnasium used for smaller sports practices and PE classes.
- The Cat Cave
- The official school store where students can buy spirit wear and snacks.
- The Commons
- The large, open multi-purpose area used for lunch, assemblies, and studying.
- The Counseling Office
- The area where students meet with academic advisors and social workers.
- The Field House
- The separate athletic facility used for indoor practice and weight training.
- The IMC
- The Instructional Media Center, commonly referred to by students as the library.
- The Library
- The school's media center, used for research, study, and checking out technology.
- The LMC
- The Library Media Center; the school's library and research hub.
- The Main
- The primary gymnasium used for varsity basketball and volleyball games.
- The Main Gym
- The primary gymnasium where varsity basketball and volleyball games are held.
- The Pit
- The main gymnasium, known for its sunken floor design and intense atmosphere during basketball games.
- The Senior Lot
- The specific section of the parking lot designated for 12th-grade students with permits.
- The West
- Common shorthand used by students and the community to refer to the Arvada West High School campus.
- The West Way
- The school's behavioral framework focusing on respect, responsibility, and integrity.
- The Westwind
- The official student-run news publication of Arvada West High School.
- White Day
- A block schedule day where students attend their even-numbered periods (2, 4, 6, 8).
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- School Year 2026-2027 runs Aug 19, 2026 – May 27, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 37 approved campus terms and 31 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.