Dear FA Parents,

You will receive a detailed online Parent Engagement Survey this week inviting you to share your perception of the present FA experience. The completed surveys will serve as one invaluable touchstone moment in our institutional evaluation of our school’s programs.

This exercise is an important part of our advertised partnership with families to create and sustain the strongest school possible. Professional educators and administrators design and execute the curriculum and all plans for the operation of the school, and a Board of Trustees supervises the strategic template to ensure the long-term health of the school. But FA, and schools like FA, exist because a group of parents believe that the services and experiences offered are well worth the tuition being charged, and our keeping a constant inventory of our parents’ opinions ... hearing your hopes and expectations for the education of your children … is at the heart of any success that we will experience going forward.

Educating 500 children between the ages of 4-18 from over 330 families for 175 days each year is not without challenge. Literally, every week each of those 500 children is growing and changing in any number of arenas (physically, intellectually, emotionally, psychologically, morally) and those changes do not even reflect the days that someone just feels under the weather. To be effective, school leaders need to be able to hear everyone’s opinion about everything school-related and then discern trends and truths that can effectively anchor programs and policies. The challenge, of course, is to chart pathways that both serve the general population well and at the same time address the concerns of each individual whenever possible.

Conducting this survey will help us see and understand some previously unseen dots and promote thinking regarding how we might best connect some of those dots. You can certainly complete the survey anonymously or you are welcome to submit it with your name identified. After reviewing the survey, you are also welcome to contact me should it prompt a concern or observation affecting your family or the school that requires immediate attention or discussion.

Please complete the online survey on or before Tuesday, March 12. Once the survey results have been carefully reviewed by the school Leadership Team, I will write the parent community a follow-up note sharing trends and salient conclusions.

Again, thank you for taking the time and making the effort to participate in this survey exercise. I appreciate you.

Respectfully,

Scott L. Hutchinson

Head of School

This Week

Violet and the Voice

Lower School Book Launch

Monday @ 10:00 AM

US Assembly in the Gym

Monday @ 6:00 PM

Class of 2025

Costa Rica Trip Parent Meeting

Jones Hall

Tuesday @ 8:15 AM

4th Grade to 5th Grade Parent Session

Shuman Conference Room

Tuesday @ 12:30 PM

SSI Rotary Speech Contest

American Legion Post 166 Hall

Good luck, Libby Certain!

Tuesday @ 1:00 PM

Varsity Golf (Teams A + B)

vs. Hilton Head Christian

Berkeley Hall Golf Club

Okatie, South Carolina

Dismissal @ 10:15 AM

Tuesday @ 2:35 PM

Tech Infrastructure Meeting

Tuesday @ 4:00 PM

MS Baseball @ Camden

Tuesday Afternoon

MS Soccer @ Home

vs. Coastal Homeschool

Girls @ 5:00 PM

Boys @ 6:15 PM

Wednesday @ 10:00 AM

US Advisory

Wednesday @ 1:00 PM

Health + Wellness Club

The Captains Pavilion

Wednesday @ 3:30 PM

Department Meetings

Wednesday Evening

Varsity Soccer @ St. Andrew's

Girls @ 5:00 PM

Boys @ 7:00 PM

Dismissal @ 1:30 PM

Wednesday @ 7:30 PM

Varsity Boys Basketball

State Semi-Final Game

vs. #1 Heritage (Newnan)

Georgia College & State University

The Centennial Center

GIAA AAA State Bracket

Thursday 3:20 PM

World Language + Culture Club

Mrs. Gallagher's Classroom

Thursday @ 3:30 PM

Varsity Tennis @ St. Andrew's

Daffin Park in Savannah

Dismissal @ 1:30 PM

Thursday @ 4:00 PM

Varsity Baseball

@ Vidalia Heritage

Dismissal @ 12:10 PM

Thursday @ 4:00 PM

Varsity Golf (Teams A and B)

vs. Richmond Hill

@ Sea Island Retreat

Dismissal @ 3:00 PM

Friday @ 6:15 AM

MS Model UN Conference

Savannah

Friday

US State Science Bowl

West Georgia College

Friday @ 8:00 AM

Fathers, Faith, and Frederica

The Captains Pavilion

Friday @ 8:00 AM

First Grade Field Trip

Jacksonville Zoo

Friday @ 8:10 AM

LS Morning Meeting

Hamilton Hall

Friday @ 8:30 AM

Kindergarten Field Trip

Dr. Seuss Birthday Celebration

Sweet Pete's Candy

Jacksonville

Friday

Class of 2024

SSI Rotary Scholarships

Application Deadline

Friday @ 6:00 PM

MS Baseball @ Home

vs. Heritage Christian

Saturday

Dr. Seuss' Birthday

Saturday @ 10:00 AM + NOON

MS Baseball Doubleheader

@ Home vs. St. Marys

Saturday Afternoon

Varsity Soccer @ Home

vs. Westminster (Augusta)

Girls @ 2:00 PM

Boys @ 4:00 PM

Saturday @ 6:00 PM

Varsity Baseball @ Home

vs. Victory Baptist

Please contact Brad Hutcherson in the Advancement Office if you have suggestions about or access to possible Derby Day Live Auction items! He can also assist with any questions you may have about Derby Day.

Violet is the creation of mother/daughter team and FA's own, Kelly and Olivia Anderson (Class of 2029). Ms. Anderson and Olivia will join our Lower School classes this week to share their story and their wonderful book, Violet and the Voices!, which details Violet’s battle with negative voices in her head.

Olivia will also share her story during the Middle School assemblies this week. The Fifth and Sixth Grade program will take place on Tuesday and the Seventh and Eighth Grade program will take place on Thursday.

Ms. Anderson and Olivia can be reached through Violet’s website or via email. And you can follow Violet Oleander Rose on Facebook and Instagram.

Books are available for purchase by clicking one of the buttons below. Make sure to select the Frederica Academy book option. For every FA book purchased, the Anderson's will give over 20% of the proceeds to the school's reading program! 

All FA Fourth Grade parents are encouraged to attend the Fourth Grade to Fifth Grade Parent Session on Tuesday, February 27, at 8:15 a.m. in the Shuman Conference Room.

Congratulations to the Varsity Boys Basketball Team on its impressive win (64-48) over #4 Brookwood on Saturday night in Macon. The FA victory snapped a 16-game winning streak for Brookwood.

With the win, FA advances to the Final Four where it will play #1 Heritage in the featured semi-final game on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Georgia College & State University's Centennial Center in Milledgeville.

Admission is $20 for adults and $15 for students.

Lower School students in Grades 1-4 will participate in FA's annual Rock 'n' Read on March 5-8 in and near The Captains Pavilion.

Parent volunteers and snack donations are needed to help stage the event. Parents interested in assisting should click on the buttons below to sign up to help. Thank you!

New dates for World Languages Week!

We will celebrate World Languages Week from March 18-22.

More information will be shared during the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, please contact Señora Wagner or Señora Sicotte if you would like to help by presenting a cultural or language lesson.

Students ages 16 to 18 who have an interest in health care may earn 20 or more volunteer service hours by participating in the Southeast Georgia Health System's Teen Volunteer Program.

Teen volunteers are required to meet the Volunteer Program Requirements with the exception that one personal reference from a teacher or counselor is required instead of two personal references. Teen applications are accepted each spring for our summer teen volunteer program session. Students who successfully volunteer during a summer session may volunteer throughout the school year as well should they choose to do so.

Students must attend a mandatory volunteer orientation on one of the following dates:

• Camden Campus Teen Volunteer Orientation: Wednesday, May 29th, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• Brunswick Campus Teen Volunteer Orientation: Thursday, May 30th, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Click HERE to access the volunteer application. Applications are due by April 1 and space in the program is limited.

February 26 - March 3, 2024

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Eating disorders, which include conditions like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, significantly impact individuals’ mental and physical well-being. Eating Disorders Awareness Week serves as a vital reminder of the importance of raising awareness about mental health issues, including eating disorders. 

One of the first warning signs to be aware of is internalizing a negative body image. The National Eating Disorder Association defines body image as how you see yourself when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind. This includes how you feel about your body in terms of height, shape, size, etc. It can also encompass your beliefs, perceptions, and thoughts about your appearance. And studies show that about 50% of preadolescent girls and 30% of preadolescent boys dislike their body. Having a healthy, balanced perspective about your body image is vital to mental health and prevention of eating disorders.

Click HERE for ways you can promote a healthy body image.

This week encourages open conversations, education, and support to reduce stigma and provide resources for those affected by these disorders. Click on the links below for more information. And as always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, concerns or just want to learn more.

• Busting Myths about Eating Disorders
• Podcast Series
• Renfrew Treatment Center Resources
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• Mental Health America (MHA)
• NoStigmas
• Project HEAL
• Eating Disorder Hope

Rachael D. Lee, M.A, LPC

School Counselor (PK-12th)

rachaellee@fredericaacademy.org

912-638-9981 ext. 746

Teacher Appreciation Week

Monday, May 6 - Friday, May 10

Parent Association needs your help with making our amazing faculty and staff feel extra loved! Please join us at our Teacher Appreciation Week Committee Kick-Off Meeting on Thursday, March 7, at 8:15 a.m., in the Shuman Conference Room. Click here to RSVP. If you can’t make the meeting but would like to sign-up to help with the Teacher Appreciation Week festivities, please click here to let us know of your interest in helping.



First Annual FAPA Open Board + Volunteer Informational Meeting

Wednesday, March 13, at 8:15 AM

Shuman Conference Room

Parents interested in learning more about how the Parent Association works are invited to attend the First Annual FAPA Open Board and Volunteer Informational Meeting. Please click here to RSVP.

Laila Gilbert

Elizabeth Temple

Emily Wyrick

Three Upper School music students recently had the honor of making their Carnegie Hall debut as part of the Honors Performance Series. After an arduous audition process, Laila Gilbert, Elizabeth Temple, and Emily Wyrick were selected, out of hundreds of applicants, to perform in one of the most prestigious venues across the globe - an honor that very few high school students achieve. Please join us in congratulating Laila, Elizabeth, and Emily on their outstanding accomplishment as they represented Frederica Academy on the National stage!

Dr. Jordan Taylor

Middle and Upper School Music

Frederica Academy

JordanTaylor@FredericaAcademy.org

Corey Atkinson was recognized as the Brunswick Rotary Student of the Month for February. Corey invited Mrs. Dottie Barrow to accompany him to the ceremony. 

Congratulations to the seven Upper School students who competed at the GISA AAA Region 2 Literary Meet hosted at Brewton-Parker College on Friday. As a result of their region performances, all of these students advance to the GISA AAA State Literary Meet, which will take place at Gordon State College on Tuesday, March 19. 

Lea Maye Smith, Elizabeth Temple, Emily Wyrick - Trio, 1st Place

Ani de Havillande - Spelling, 1st Place

Cabot Etheredge (Not Pictured) - Rhetorical Essay, 2nd Place

Laila Gilbert - High Solo, 2nd Place

Connor Pope (Not Pictured) - Personal Essay, 2nd Place

Emily Wyrick - Impromptu Speaking, 2nd Place

The FA Health and Wellness Relay for Life Team kicked off our newest fundraiser, "Flocking For A Cause," on Thursday night! If your yard is flocked, you can designate the next yard to be flocked for a $25 donation. Our team is super sneaky, so don't be surprised if you find beautiful flamingos decorating your yard one morning. Flocked families will be targeted based on their love of FA, their generous spirit, their wonderful sense of humor, and the absence of a Pit Bull in their yard. Donations can be made by Venmo @knights_wellness or cash/check to Relay for Life. 

Mackenzie Todd

FA Health and Wellness Club Co-President

Since January, Sixth Grade students have been working on a Poetry Writing Unit in Composition which focused on strengthening our communication through the use of concise language and the application of strong verbs and adjectives. On Friday, they rounded out their unit by hosting their own Poetry Reading, complete with DIY café ambiance and plenty of "snaps" from the audience. Sharing personal poetry is no easy task, but this reading was a success! Some laughed, some cried, but they all “dropped the mic.”

FA hosted its first-ever Lower School Mardi Gras Parade and school-wide celebration last week! The parade featured miniature Mardi Gras floats created by Fourth Grade students.

Second Grade students visited the historic Harrington School on Friday. They learned about the history of the school, viewed interesting African-American artifacts and inventions, and enjoyed first-hand accounts from former Harrington School students who attended the school in the 1950s. New words like “chalk board,” “out house,” and “pot-belly stove” came to life, as they listened, learned, and soaked in rich bits of our island’s history!

Wesley Stroud’s mother, Gigi Stroud, was the Pre-K Mystery Reader on Friday. She read Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister.

March 4-8

Lower School Rock 'n' Read

Read Across America Week

March 4 + 8

US History Class Periods

Class of 2026 Course Registration

Fall Semester 2024

March 5

Third Grade Field Trip

Oatland Island

March 7 @ 8:15 AM

FAPA Teacher Appreciation Week

Committee Kick-Off Meeting

Shuman Conference Room

Click HERE to RSVP

Click HERE to Volunteer

March 8 @ 8:10 AM

LS Morning Meeting

March Birthdays Celebration

Hamilton Hall

March 9

SAT Exam @ FA

March 11

Third Grade Field Trip

Okefenokee Swamp

March 11

US Biology Class Periods

Class of 2027 Course Registration

Fall Semester 2024

March 13 @ 8:15 AM

FAPA Open Board +

Volunteer Informational Meeting

Shuman Conference Room

Click HERE to RSVP

March 13 @ 10:00 AM

World Language + Culture Club

Food Fair

Terry Thomas Pavilion

Sea Island Green

March 13 @ 3:30 PM

All-School Faculty + Staff Meeting

Shuman Conference Room

March 14

MS + US Pep Rally Schedule

March 14 @ 9:30 AM

Fourth Grade Field Trip

Epworth Tabby Cabins

March 14 @ 9:40 AM

US St. Patrick's Day

Pancake Breakfast

Terry Thomas Pavilion

March 14 @ 12:30 PM

Fourth Grade Field Trip

SSI Lighthouse

March 14 @ 2:20 PM

Annual Student-Faculty Basketball Game

Student Sign-Up Link

Faculty Sign-Up Link

Gymnasium

March 15

Parent-Teacher Conferences (PK-12)

No School for Students

March 18-21

US Science Fair

March 19 @ 8:30 AM

Fourth Grade Field Trip

Fort Frederica

Archaeological Tour + Dig

March 19

Varsity Baseball Senior Night

vs. St Andrew's @ Home

March 20 @ 9:00 AM

Fourth Grade Field Trip

Fort Frederica

Archaeological Lab

March 20

FAPA Faculty + Staff Luncheon

The Captains Pavilion

March 21 @ 6:00 PM

Coastal Georgia Black Scholars

Recognition Program

College of Coastal Georgia

March 21 + 22 @ 7:00 PM

MS + US Spring Musical

"The Addams Family"

Hamilton Hall

March 23 @ 2:00 PM

MS + US Spring Musical Matinee

"The Addams Family"

Hamilton Hall

March 27 @ 11:30 AM

First Grade Easter Egg Roll

The Captains Pavilion

FA Soccer/Football Field

March 27 @ 1:00 PM

Pre-K Easter Egg Hunt

PK Piazza

March 27 @ 2:00 PM

Class of 2028 Course Registration

Shuman Conference Room

Fall Semester 2024

March 28

All-School Field Day

• MS + US @ 8:15 AM
• LS @ 9:15 AM

Early Dismissal

• MS + US @ 11:30 AM
• LS @ Noon

March 28

GIAA Tennis Region Tournament

Mill Creek Regional Park

Statesboro

March 29

School Holiday - Good Friday

April 1-5

Spring Break

April 10 (5:00 - 7:00 PM)

FAPA Spring Parent Social

Davis Love Grill

Sea Island Retreat Clubhouse

April 10 (4:30 - 7:15 PM)

Health + Wellness Club

Relay for Life Fundraiser

"Parents Night Out"

FA KiX Building

April 12 @ 8:00 AM

Fathers, Faith, and Frederica

The Captains Pavilion

April 12 @ 6:00 PM

Glynn County Relay for Life

Mary Ross Waterfront Park

Downtown Brunswick

April 12

Varsity Soccer Senior Night

vs. Bulloch @ Home

April 13

ACT Exam @ FA

April 15-16

GIAA State Tennis Tournament

INDIVIDUALS

Macon

April 17 @ 3:30 PM

All-School Faculty Meeting

April 18 @ 8:15 AM

FAPA Coffee + Conversations

April 19 (All Day)

FA Blood Drive

Shuman Conference Room

April 19 @ 12:15 PM

Fourth Grade Field Trip

Tall Ship Lynx

April 19 @ 3:00 PM

The Captains Pavilion Closes

Prom Set-Up

April 20 - Evening

Junior-Senior Prom

The Captains Pavilion

Windolf-Johnston Plaza

April 23-24 @ 8:30 AM

ERB Testing (Grades 1-4)

April 23-24

GIAA State Tennis Tournament

TEAMS

Macon

April 24 (5:00 - 7:00 PM)

PPE Night

The Captains Pavilion +

Fleming Hall

April 26 @ 10:00 AM

FA May Day Celebration

Lower School Grandparents Day

LS Early Dismissal @ Noon

April 29 @ 8:30 AM

ERB Testing (Grades 1-4)

April 30 @ 9:00 AM

Second Grade Book Celebration

The Captains Pavilion

Click HERE to access the 2023-2024

At-A-Glance Master Calendar.

Click HERE to access the 2024-2025

At-A-Glance Master Calendar.