Dear FA Families,
An effective partnership and a respective division of labor between families and schools best optimizes the chances of FA students realizing their highest potential in these formative school-age years. You may have heard me tout that numerous times in the past year and a half. That is in large part why I believe school choice is so incredibly important.
There is work best accomplished by the family; there is work best accomplished by the school; and there are clearly areas of work - character development and discovering and solidifying a young person’s personal moral compass among them - that require a combined and unified effort on behalf of both family and school to accomplish the goal.
The school does not proselytize for or on a particular religion or denomination nor do we encourage or endorse a particular political persuasion. My guess is that families similarly do not explicate a passage from Dante or solve for an elusive derivative. We each recognize and accept our discrete areas of responsibility and expertise, and we all acknowledge and embrace the important work that we share helping your children strengthen their sense of self and establishing a code of behavior from which to operate in their lives.
The events of the last two weeks and the sundry interpretations of those events by various people and parties have spawned in me the contents of this Sunday message. My observations are not intended to indict or cast aspersion on any particular actor or group of actors. Instead, my message is merely one Head of School connecting events and behaviors on the national screen with four foundational lessons that we, as educators and parents, are trying to teach our school-age children. To those four observations ...
First, in my mind, there are three kinds of truths in this world: absolute truths that are largely indisputable by the vast majority of the population; relative truths that are embraced by one group of people, one culture, or one society; and personal truths. Suffice it to say the obvious… that the key to successfully living in this world with others… as teenagers or adults… is to know the difference between those truths and apply the appropriate definition to the appropriate circumstance.
Second, understanding the difference between right and wrong is fundamental at all levels, in all groups, regardless of age. Living a life of honor and integrity should be everyone’s goal, and when one doesn’t reach that standard in the moment, having the strength of conviction to repair that moment and move forward is critical. There is certainly an abundance of grace and forgiveness in the world for those who are committed to doing better.
Third, life on this planet and in this nation… both for our national leaders and for our children in their play or social groups… is of the highest quality when we all revere civil discourse as the highest and preferred means for exchanging divergent viewpoints. The age-old mantra of investing time and energy in seeking to understand before seeking to be understood has never seemed more relevant.
Fourth, when one lives, works, and plays in a group larger than oneself…be it a family, a team, a class, a company, or a nation … understanding what is best for that grouping and committing to work for that common good is a necessary part of being in or leading that group. It is simply often true in collaborative enterprises... again equally valid in school-age children and adults … that the good of the many eclipses and transcends the good of few.
This has been a long, discouraging, and exhausting couple of weeks - regardless of your particular political bent. The educator in me finds a salvaging moment here in that if we can all learn something from these events and from these behaviors, and we can apply some of what we have witnessed and read about to lessons for our children, then all has not been lost or wasted. Life moves along at an unrelenting pace without seemingly any kind of respite, and our ability to keep pace and move with it, all the while acquiring and applying new understandings, is the trick.
Teachers, coaches, and parents deserve much praise and credit for all that we are taking on. Let’s take this opportunity to learn from others around us and continue to work together towards the betterment of our children.
Respectfully,
Scott L. Hutchinson
Head of School
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Monday
School Holiday
Observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Tuesday-Friday
Click HERE for January Lunch Menu
Tuesday @ 10:00 AM
Upper School Advisory
Tuesday @ 10:00 AM
Middle School Assembly
Tuesday @ 1:00 PM
US Finance + Investment Club
Mr. Willis' Classroom
Tuesday
Middle School Basketball Games
@ St. Francis
Girls @ 5:00 PM
Boys @ 6:15 PM
Wednesday @ 10:00 AM
Upper School Virtual Assembly
Wednesday @ 4:00 PM
Department Chair Meeting
Wednesday
Middle School Basketball Games
@ Home vs. Saint Simons Christian
Girls @ 4:00 PM
Boys @ 5:15 PM
Thursday @ 8:15 AM
Parent Association Meeting
Hamilton Hall
Thursday @ 10:00 AM
Junior Class College Meeting
Sea Island Green Tent
Thursday (11:00 AM - 1:30 PM)
Teacher/Staff Luncheon
Gym Lobby
Thursday @ 12:30 PM
Rotary Student of the Month
Congrats, James Cruikshank!
Thursday @ 1:00 PM
US Student Council Meeting
Mr. Jobe's Classroom
Thursday Afternoon
Varsity Swim Meet
@ Waycross / Ware County
Thursday @ 5:00 PM
Fourth Grade Parent MS Meeting
Rising Fifth Grade Parents
Terry Thomas Room
Thursday @ 6:00 PM
Varsity GIRLS Basketball
@ St. Andrew's in Savannah
Friday
Upper School Drop/Add Deadline
Friday @ 8:30 AM
Third Grade Field Trip
Saturday
Hands on Frederica Day
@ 9:00 AM (First Shift)
@ 11:00 AM (Second Shift)
Saturday @ 10:00 AM
Varsity Swim Meet
@ Camden County
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Summer Programs Registration |
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We are pleased to offer an advance Summer Program registration opportunity for FA families. Registration to the general public opens on Tuesday, January 19. Frederica families can start signing up TODAY!
When registering, please take advantage of our early registration discount of 10% off using the code EARLY on any camp!
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4th + 5th Grade Parent Meetings |
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This upcoming fall the Fifth Grade will move into the Middle School, creating a Middle School composed of Fifth and Sixth Grade students housed largely in Benefield Hall and Seventh and Eighth Grade students housed primarily in Fleming Hall.
Mr. Hutchinson and Mrs. Toomey are hosting separate gatherings for parents of rising Fifth Grade and Sixth Grade students this month. Click here for more information.
Please contact Mrs. Toomey should you have questions or if you are unable to attend one of the parent sessions.
Fourth Grade and Fifth Grade parents can use the links below to RSVP.
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Second Grade students have been working on Wit & Wisdom Module 3, which is specifically about Civil Rights Heroes. They have read several great texts so far about Ruby Bridges, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and they still have more to read!
The students watched and listened to the second half of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech and have viewed several historical photographs. They have written about injustices before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and have discussed where many module vocabulary words were incorporated. The Second Grade students also completed an information pyramid on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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THURSDAY
Parent Association Meeting
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SATURDAY
Hands on Frederica Day
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On Saturday, we will host our annual Hands on Frederica event. We invite faculty, staff, trustees, students, parents, and other FA stakeholders to help us spruce up the campus as we prepare to open our doors for our upcoming Open House week. |
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JANUARY 25-28
Pre-K Parent Conferences
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The Pre-K teachers will host their mid-year parent conferences the week of January 25. They will be offered in the afternoon following Pre-K dismissal. Pre-K parents should sign up for one slot to meet with your child's teachers. Please contact Ms. Leslie or Ms. Miller should you have a conflict that week. |
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JANUARY 27
Recycled Uniform Drive
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JANUARY 27
LS After-School Deadline
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Frederica Academy will offer two Lower School After-School Club sessions during the second semester. The first session will include six weeks of programs, starting the week of February 1st. The second session will be a mini-session and will start after spring break.
Each program starts at 3:15 p.m. and ends at 4:00 p.m.
- All About Art (Mrs. Morrison) - Monday; Grades 2-5
- Math Games (Mrs. Schneider) - Monday, Grades 1-3
- STEM-PLOSION (Mrs. Day) - Tuesday, Grades 1-4
- Team Sports (Mr. Roberts) - Wednesday, Grades 3-5
- Tinker Time - Thursday (Mrs. Albright) - Thursday; Grades 1-3
The deadline to register is Friday, January 27.
For more information, please email Heather Day.
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JUNE 20 - AUGUST 1
Summer STEM Institute
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Dear FA Students in Grades 8-12,
Last year, many extracurricular activities and learning opportunities were cancelled due to COVID-19. To continue educational opportunities during this time, I worked with a team of educators, students, and graduates from Stanford, Harvard, and MIT to start the Summer STEM Institute (SSI), a six-week virtual summer program for high school students.
Many students who attended SSI 2020 said the program changed their lives and asked for our team to continue running SSI in future years. Applications for SSI 2021 are now open, and I thought your students may be interested in applying. The program consists of three main parts:
- Research and data science bootcamp: Students learn how to design and conduct data science research projects. Students learn about the research process and how to apply statistical and machine learning methods to address scientific questions with real-world impact.
- Masterclass lecture series: Students are connected to accomplished young adults around the world. Students have the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship from Forbes 30 Under 30 recipients, science research from International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) grand prize winners, and other topics from speakers with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
- Mentored research project: Students complete a research project through a rigorous, hands-on learning experience under the guidance of mentors. Previously, students have worked in a variety of fields, from computational biology to quantum physics.
As you know, many students are continuing to have extracurricular and summer plans cancelled due to COVID-19. If any of your students may potentially be a good fit for the program and are interested in applying, could you please share this opportunity with them? Students and families can learn more about SSI and apply through the program via the buttons below.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and take care!
Harvard University | Class of 2022
B.S. Candidate | Mathematics
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Chris McKenna from the organization “Protect Young Eyes” visited Frederica Academy on Monday, January 11th, to speak to students about using technology and social media in a positive and healthy way. He spent time with grades 4th-8th in The Terry Thomas Room, presenting his message and taking questions.
McKenna then spoke to parents in our area that evening at a Parents Night Event held at St. Simons Community Church. Chris and his organization provide practical tools to help navigate technology for children if and when parents choose to introduce certain aspects of it. His visit, which was sponsored by Kim and Zach Johnson along with Brooke and Jim Walker, will be featured this week in The Brunswick News.
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Looking to find a good home for an underutilized dollhouse? If so, please contact Heather Day if you would like to donate it to KiX, FA's Extended Day program. |
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The Fine Arts Department extends its sincerest appreciation to the anonymous donor who graciously sponsored the purchase of several important items for the music program. Included in the items are a number of acoustic guitars that will be used for the new, upcoming guitar class with Dr. Taylor. Thank you for your generous support and dedication to the growth of the Fine Arts at Frederica! |
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Steven Ford is the president of the local chapter of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Mr. Ford was on campus last week presenting awards to FA students who were recently recognized for submitting outstanding entries in this year's Sons of the American Revolution Essay Contest.
The following FA students took the top three places in this year's local competition: Spencer Sullivan, First Place; Kate Walbridge, Second Place; and Bryce Reilly, Third Place.
Honorable Mention awards were given to Roy Boyd, Madison Morgan, and Charlotte Snyder.
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Sophie is one of only 14 middle school girls from across the state selected to serve on the GEM Leadership Team.
Spurred by Georgia FitnessGram® data that shows a sharp decline in girls’ aerobic capacity from 51 percent in fifth grade to only 31% in twelfth grade and a gender disparity in fitness levels among middle school girls and boys, the program will empower and engage 18,000 girls from 120 sites across Georgia. The GEM program will be implemented in schools, Girl Scout Troops, and Boys and Girls Clubs starting in the fall of 2021.
“GEM is different than other physical activity programs because it is being designed by girls,” said Sophie. “This program will get girls moving in a fun way and help bring them closer as friends.”
The Girls Empowering Movement is a collaborative initiative led by HealthMPowers in partnership with: Boys and Girls Clubs of Georgia, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, and Wolf Wellness Lab at the University of West Georgia. The organizations are working together to ensure that the girls’ voice drives all program elements and keeps them at the forefront.
The girls have been working closely with HealthMPowers staff during the design phase of the program and collectively decided on the name GEM because they felt it represented the strength, value and confidence they hope to inspire in their peers. The Team also announced the project in a video and provided direction in creating the GEM logo.
“The collaboration and insights from the GEM Leadership Team have been integral to creating a physical activity program tailored to meet girls’ needs,” said Christi Kay, Project Director, HealthMPowers.
As a leader in this movement, Sophie aims to have a positive impact, “It’s important for girls to get out of their comfort zone. By working with this group, I want to help girls have fun and enjoy being physically active.”
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Fourth Grade students, studying a unit on energy, took part in activities that had them explore and identify various forms of energy. This was then used to introduce the Law of Conservation of Energy. They had so much fun, several students took the materials outside for recess and chose science over kickball. |
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Third Grade Skittle Graphing |
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Third Grade has been learning how to create scaled pictographs and bar graphs. To help the students practice identifying scales, they became data analysts using Skittles. According to Mrs. Day, it was a yummy project. |
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January + February Events |
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January 25-28
Pre-K Parent Conferences
January 25 @ 1:00 PM
HOPE Scholarship Application Workshop
January 26 @ 8:00 AM
Fifth Grade MS Parent Meeting
Terry Thomas Room
January 27 @ 1:00 PM
NCAA Eligibility Workshop
College Counseling Center
January 28 @ 5:00 PM
Fifth Grade MS Parent Meeting
Terry Thomas Room
January 29
School-Wide Spirit Day
February 1-5
Open House Week
February 1
LS After-School Programs Launch
Winter Sessions (2/1 - 3/12)
February 3 @ 3:30 PM
All-School Faculty + Staff Meeting
February 4
Q3 Progress Ends
February 6
ACT Exam at FA
February 9
Varsity Basketball
Region First Round
February 10
Q3 Progress Reports Posted
February 10
Winter Open Mic Night
February 12-15
FA Winter Break
February 18
Rotary Student of the Month
February 24
Varsity Soccer Season Starts
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