Academic calendar
Summer 2026 Session B runs Jul 1, 2026 – Aug 11, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer 2026 Session A
- Summer 2026 Session C
- Summer 2026 Session BRelevant now
- Fall 2026 Session A
- Fall 2026 Session C
- Fall 2026 Session B
- Spring 2027 Session A
- Spring 2027 Session C
- Spring 2027 Session B
- Summer 2027 Session A
- Summer 2027 Session C
- Summer 2027 Session B
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 46 of 46 terms
A
- Agave
- Agave Hall, a residence hall often associated with the apartment-style living community.
- ASGCU
- Associated Students of Grand Canyon University, the official student government body.
- AVID
- Advancement Via Individual Determination, a college-readiness program and elective course.
C
- CAB
- Canyon Activities Board, the student-led organization responsible for planning campus events like concerts and movie nights.
- Cactus
- Shorthand for Cactus Canyon Apartments, an on-campus housing option primarily for upperclassmen.
- CCJH
- The common abbreviation for Cactus Canyon Junior High used by students and staff.
- CCTV
- Cactus Canyon TV, the student-run broadcast or media organization that handles campus news.
- CFA
- Common shorthand for the Chick-fil-A location on campus.
- Champions
- A term sometimes used in local sports contexts (often confused with nearby Cesar Chavez High School) but occasionally applied to CCJH athletic success.
- Cougar Gold
- Reward tokens or points earned for positive behavior and academic achievement.
- cougar press
- The student-run online newspaper.
- Cougar Pride
- The primary school spirit slogan used in announcements and events.
- Cougars
- The official mascot and collective name for the student body.
F
- Freshman Launch
- While not a traditional dorm, this refers to the specific campus-based summer program for incoming students, often treated as their first 'home' on campus.
G
- GCBC
- Grand Canyon Beverage Company, the student-run coffee shop with multiple locations on campus.
- GenTech
- A STEM-focused program and elective at the school.
H
- Havocs
- The official student spirit section known for their high-energy presence at athletic events.
- Havocs
- The official student spirit organization known for high-energy cheering at basketball games.
I
- Ironwood
- Ironwood Hall, an apartment-style dorm located adjacent to Cactus Canyon.
J
- Jerome
- Jerome Hall, one of the apartment buildings in the northern residential area.
L
- Launch
- Refers to the 'Freshman Launch' program, used as a verb or noun to describe the transition into the school.
- LHP
- Lopes Helping Lopes, a student-led initiative focused on peer support and community service.
- Lope Way
- The main pedestrian thoroughfare that runs through the center of the campus.
- LopeMart
- The on-campus convenience stores used for quick snacks and grocery items.
- Lopes
- Short for Antelopes, the university mascot and the common term for all students.
- Lopes Mart
- On-campus convenience stores located in various residence halls and the Student Union for snacks and groceries.
- Lopes Up
- The university's signature hand signal (forming an antelope head) and a general expression of school spirit.
- Lunch A
- The first of two scheduled lunch periods for students, typically determined by their 4th or 5th-period teacher.
- Lunch B
- The second of two scheduled lunch periods for students.
N
- NJHS
- National Junior Honor Society; an organization for high-achieving students focused on service and leadership.
- Nutrition Services
- The official department name for the cafeteria and meal program.
P
- Panda
- The Panda Express location in the Student Union.
- Purple Out
- A campus-wide event or game day where students are encouraged to wear only purple.
Q
- Qdoba
- The popular Mexican-style eatery located in the Student Union.
S
- Snack Bar
- The secondary food service area for quick items.
- STUCO
- Student Council; the student government body responsible for school events and spirit.
- STUGO
- Student Government, the organization that plans school dances and spirit weeks.
T
- The Caf
- The school cafeteria where students eat lunch.
- the cafeteria
- The primary dining facility where students eat lunch and breakfast.
- The Canyon
- A common nickname for the Grand Canyon University campus.
- The Canyon
- A common shorthand for the residential areas or the campus atmosphere at Cactus Canyon Junior High, often used by students to describe the school's physical setting.
- The Canyons
- A collective term for the apartment-style residence halls named after Arizona landmarks (e.g., Cactus Canyon, Echo Canyon).
- The Cougar Way
- The school's behavioral code of conduct: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe.
- The Grove
- A residential community on the northwest side of campus consisting of Acacia, Ironwood, Juniper, and Willow halls.
- The Herd
- A general term for the student body, often used in spirit and marketing contexts.
W
- WEB
- Where Everybody Belongs; a student mentorship program where 8th graders help 7th graders transition to junior high.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- 100 Building
- The primary classroom wing for core subjects.
- 100 Wing
- The section of the school typically housing administrative offices and core classrooms.
- 200 Wing
- A specific hallway or section of classrooms, often grouped by grade level or subject.
- 300 Wing
- A designated classroom wing within the campus layout.
- 400 Wing
- A designated classroom wing within the campus layout.
- 500 Wing
- A designated classroom wing within the campus layout.
- 800 Building
- The wing typically housing elective or specialized classes.
- Building 1
- The main administrative building housing the university's executive offices and admissions.
- bus loop
- The specific traffic zone designated for school bus loading and unloading only.
- C-Wing
- One of the main academic hallways housing specific grade-level classrooms.
- cactus_canyon_cafeteria
- Cactus Canyon Cafeteria
- Canva Lessons
- A standard part of the digital literacy logistics for new students entering the campus programs.
- Ceramics Lab
- A specific high-traffic area for elective students, known for its unique equipment and project-based environment.
- Chapel
- The weekly Monday morning gathering in the Arena; while not mandatory for all, it is a core part of the campus culture and schedule.
- Closed Campus
- The policy stating that students are not permitted to leave the school grounds during the school day without official checkout.
- D-Wing
- A primary academic wing containing classrooms and teacher offices.
- Digital Device Policy
- The local rules governing the use of school-issued laptops and personal electronics on campus.
- Early Release
- Scheduled half-days where students are dismissed early, typically for conferences or holidays.
- Halo
- The digital learning management system (LMS) where students access course materials, submit assignments, and view grades.
- Infinite Campus
- The online portal used by students and parents to check grades, attendance, and schedules.
- late start
- Refers to the Wednesday schedule where classes begin later than the standard morning bell.
- Late Start Wednesday
- The weekly schedule convention where classes begin later than usual for teacher professional development.
- Late Start Wednesdays
- The weekly schedule where school begins two hours later than usual for teacher professional development.
- Lope Card
- The essential student ID card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- Lope Pass
- The digital ID card accessed via smartphone used for building entry and meal plan swipes.
- Media Center
- The school library and computer lab hub.
- My Ride K-12
- The mobile application used by students and parents to track bus routes and transportation schedules.
- parent pickup
- The designated area for students being collected by private vehicle after school.
- ParentSquare
- The primary mobile app and platform used for district-wide and school-to-home communication.
- ParentVue
- The online portal used by students and parents to track grades and attendance.
- PBIS
- Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports; a system where students earn rewards for following 'The Cougar Way'.
- PXU.org/Enroll
- The primary digital portal used for student registration and logistical enrollment for programs like Freshman Launch.
- Student Portal
- The central online hub for administrative tasks like registration, financial aid, and official records.
- the 100 wing
- The hallway where most 7th-grade core classes are located.
- the 200 wing
- The hallway where most 8th-grade core classes are located.
- the 300 wing
- The elective and fine arts hallway.
- The 600 Wing
- The section of the campus primarily housing 7th-grade classrooms.
- The 800 Wing
- The section of the campus primarily housing 8th-grade classrooms.
- The Arena
- Grand Canyon University Arena, the central venue for basketball games, concerts, and weekly Chapel services.
- the bus loop
- The area where students board buses after school.
- the canyon
- The common shorthand name for the Cactus Canyon Junior High campus.
- The Cougar Press
- The official student-run news publication of the campus.
- the den
- A designated student area often used for spirit activities or as a student lounge/store.
- The Gym
- The physical education and indoor sports facility.
- The Media Center
- The campus library and computer lab hub.
- The Office
- The administrative building or front desk area where logistics and student services are handled.
- The Rec
- The campus recreation center or fitness center facilities.
- The Union
- The Student Union building, which houses the main dining hall, student mailroom, and various student services.
- TransLoc
- The mobile app used by students to track the real-time location of campus shuttles.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Summer 2026 Session B runs Jul 1, 2026 – Aug 11, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 46 approved campus terms and 49 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.