Academic calendar
1st Trimester 2026 runs Aug 24, 2026 – Nov 17, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- 1st Trimester 2026Relevant now
- 2nd Trimester 2026-2027
- 3rd Trimester 2027
- 1st Trimester 2027
- 2nd Trimester 2027-2028
- 3rd Trimester 2028
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 11 of 11 terms
A
- A La Carte
- The separate line in the cafeteria for purchasing individual snacks and premium items.
G
- GSA
- Gender and Sexuality Alliance, a student organization supporting LGBTQ+ students and allies.
L
- Liberty
- The common shorthand for Iowa City Liberty High School, the newer cross-town rival.
- Little Hawks
- The collective name for the student body and athletic teams.
N
- NHS
- National Honor Society, the local chapter for high-achieving students focused on service.
P
- PST
- Peer Support Team, a student group trained to provide emotional support and guidance to classmates.
S
- SBA
- Student Budget Association, the group responsible for managing student activity funds.
- SFA
- Students for Action, a prominent student-led social and political activism group.
T
- The Boot
- Refers to 'The Battle for the Boot,' the annual rivalry football game against Iowa City West High School.
- The Caf
- The main cafeteria where school lunch is served.
W
- West
- The common shorthand for Iowa City West High School, the primary cross-town rival.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Advisory
- A designated period for administrative tasks, check-ins, and school-wide announcements.
- Canvas
- The Learning Management System (LMS) where teachers post assignments and course materials.
- city_high_cafeteria
- City High Cafeteria
- Late Start
- The Monday morning schedule where classes begin later than usual to allow for teacher professional development.
- Mercer
- Refers to the nearby Mercer Park/Scanlon Gym often used for specific athletic practices or community events.
- Open Campus
- The privilege granted to seniors (and sometimes juniors) allowing them to leave school grounds during lunch.
- PowerSchool
- The online portal used by students and parents to check official grades and attendance.
- The Fourth Floor
- The top level of the main building, frequently noted by students for being significantly warmer than other floors.
- The Little Hawk
- While the mascot, it is also used to refer to the newsroom/office of the student newspaper.
- The Little Hawk
- The name of the award-winning student-run news publication.
- The School that Leads
- The traditional nickname for the main Iowa City High School building, derived from its motto.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- 1st Trimester 2026 runs Aug 24, 2026 – Nov 17, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 11 approved campus terms and 11 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.