Head of School Message

Diversity is about all of us, and us having to figure out how to walk through this world together.
- Jacqueline Woodson

Dear FA Families,

Last week, we celebrated Apogee Appreciation Week as we kicked off our efforts to promote 2021 Apogee enrollments before the December deadline. Truth be told, Apogee is perhaps the single most important support program at Frederica Academy and an easy way for everyone in our parent body to contribute to the school’s success through a very popular dollar-for-dollar state tax credit program.
 
I hope that every parent with a child at FA expects our school to provide the experiential foundation for your child to be able to construct a productive and fulfilling life when they eventually become adults. To be able to do that in today’s world that means acquiring a whole host of skills and attitudes. Clearly one has to secure and master a core knowledge in a variety of disciplines, learn to think creatively, and cultivate a strong work ethic and a passion for something that really matters to them and seems important enough to apply their very best efforts all of the time. But if your child succeeds in all of those areas, it still will not be enough to provide a platform for success in the modern world. For them to succeed in the world of work and in life in general, they are going to have to connect with elements of a very diverse population and interrelate with sensitivity, empathy, and respect for their work colleagues, neighbors, and friends.

Our school’s participation in the Apogee program plays a monumental role in our ability to fund need-based financial aid to our families. The socio-economic diversity that this program provides allows for a much broader swath of the population to attend FA; and, in doing so, gives our students access to interacting with a student body with the same core values articulated in our mission, but with a much wider array of backgrounds and ways of thinking and living. In this fast-changing and increasingly competitive world that our kids are going to move into, being able to work with and interact with people of varying backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives is going to be a prerequisite for securing the types of jobs and relationships that our students will want and deserve. Getting them immersed in that population now in these formative years is critical.

Whether you are a longstanding Apogee participant or a new family who just signed up for the first time in recent days, thank you. You are truly making a difference in the school's ability to fulfill its mission.

Although Apogee directly benefits those families who meet Apogee’s eligibility requirements and qualify for our need-based financial aid assistance, it also benefits all Frederica families because it helps reduce tuition for every FA student. This year, the average student tuition would have been about 10% higher without the $605,000 in Apogee revenue in our 2020-2021 operating budget.

If you haven't signed up and are interested in supporting this critical effort, please click here to enroll in the 2021 Apogee program or here to learn more about Apogee. Brad Hutcherson and John Pope in our Advancement Office are also available to assist you should need help or have questions.

Thank you for giving consideration to participating in this program. For my wife Suzan and me, this has proven to be one of those rare win/win propositions, and we are proud to be Apogee participants. I hope that it strikes you as something worth doing too.

Respectfully,

Scott L. Hutchinson
Head of School


This Week at Frederica
Click HERE to access this week's Knights Table Menu

Sunday @ 8:00 PM
Coach Brandon Derrick Radio Show at Porch

Monday Morning
Second Grade Field Trip
Village Creek Landing

Monday @ 10:00 AM
US Advisory Announcements

Monday @ 1:00 PM
AP Teacher Meeting
Mr. Willis' Room

Monday
Middle School Soccer
@ Home vs. St. Francis
Girls @ 3:30 PM
Boys @ 4:30 PM

Monday @ 4:00 PM
MS Faculty Meeting
MS Academic Center

Monday @ 5:30 PM
Baseball Meet + Greet
Hamilton Hall
Welcome, Coach Orlosky!

Monday Evening
Q2 Progress Reports Posted

Tuesday @ 10:00 AM
Ninth Grade Boys Meeting
Terry Thomas Room

Tuesday @ 10:00 AM
Middle School Assembly

Tuesday @ 1:00 PM
US FCA Gathering
Football Bleachers

Tuesday @ 5:00 PM
Open Mic Night (Grades 5-8)
Sea Island Green Tent

Tuesday
Varsity Basketball Season Openers
@ Home vs. Heritage Christian
Girls @ 5:30 PM
Boys @ 7:00 PM

Wednesday @ 10:00 AM
Upper School Virtual Assembly

Wednesday @ 1:00 PM
US Health + Wellness Club Meeting
Football Bleachers

Wednesday
MS Soccer Games @ Needwood
Girls @ 3:30 PM
Boys @ 4:30 PM

Wednesday @ 4:00 PM
Department Chair Meeting
Sea Island Green Tent

Wednesday @ 7:00 PM
FA Knights Coach's Show with Coach Derrick
Gnat's Landing

Thursday @ 12:30 PM
Rotary Student of the Month
Congratulations, Cate Seymour!

Thursday @ 1:00 PM
US Student Council Meeting
Mr. Jobe's Room

Thursday Evening
Sophomore College Night (Virtual)

Friday
School-Wide FA Spirit Day

Friday @ 10:30 AM
First Grade Celebration of Thanks
Dunn Family River Cottage

Friday @ Lunch
Kona Ice Truck

Friday @ 7:30 PM
Varsity Football Senior Night
vs. Trinity Christian
Ticket Holders Only
Football Player Senior Night (7:00 PM)
Cheerleader + Cross Country Senior Night (Halftime)

Saturday
Asheville Speech + Debate Tournament
US Debate Team
Virtual

The Knights Table Menu
Click HERE for November Menu.

Click HERE for PK, K, and 1st Grade Lunch Order Form
MONDAY
Baseball Meet + Greet
TUESDAY
Open Mic Night (Grades 5-8)
Come and enjoy an open "tent" experience featuring Middle School talents along with the Orchestra and Upper School Popular Music Ensemble (PME)!

  • Audience members are allowed to gather--socially distanced--on the Sea Island lawn.
  • Bring a lawn chair and a picnic. Photos and videos encouraged. 
  • The FA Parent Association is providing limited snack items for performers only.
FRIDAY @ LUNCH
Kona Ice Truck
SATURDAY
Asheville Debate Classic
Members of Frederica Academy's Upper School Debate Team will participate in the 20th Annual Asheville High Cougar Classic Speech and Debate Tournament on Saturday. This year's tournament is virtual. Click here for more information.

Good luck, Forensics Knights!

NOVEMBER 25
Cleaning Supply Drive
The Humane Society Teen Board is hosting a Cleaning Supply Drive for much needed cleaning materials for our Humane Society. The collection will run from Wednesday November 11 to Wednesday November 25. Please consider items such as paper towels, Clorox wipes, Fabuloso, Pine Sol, bleach, laundry detergent, Dawn dish soap, mops and Windex. Donation boxes are located in the Upper School Front Office.  

NOVEMBER 30
FA Christmas Card Contest
Golden Isles FCA is offering the opportunity for a student in Middle School or Upper School to win a $100 Academy Sports gift card as well as an FCA Bible and a devotional.

Interested students are asked to design and submit an original Christmas Card for the 2020 Christmas season. The winning entry will be used by Golden Isles FCA (GIFCA) to send Christmas greetings to our supporters both by mail and online. By submitting an entry to the contest, all contestants give permission to GIFCA to reproduce and distribute their entries and the decisions of the judges are final.
 
Artwork submissions must have a Christmas message or theme, and the name of the artist needs to be included somewhere on card.
 
Mrs. Graham will engage FA Teachers to vote and select a winner from the Frederica submissions. Middle School and Upper School submissions are considered separately. FA's winning MS and US entries will be submitted to GIFCA, which will select an overall winner. Each school winner will receive either an FCA Bible or FCA devotional book.
 
The deadline for submitting your artwork to Mrs. Graham is Monday, November 30. 

World Kindness Day
Thank you to everyone who wore purple on Friday in celebration of World Kindness Day. The entire week was replete with small and large acts of Kindness!
Well Done, Carter Jules!
FA Junior Carter Jules recently made a presentation to 1 Million Cups-Brunswick at its November monthly meeting.

Carter is the Founder of Project Niceties, a non-profit organization that provides hygiene and personal care products for underprivileged boys and girls.

Click HERE to watch Carter's presentation.
Finance + Investment Club
A BULL-ish time was had by all at last week's meeting of the Upper School Finance and Investment Club. Our largest gathering of over 30 students welcomed Mr. Gary Offner as our guest speaker. Mr. Offner is Head of Nasdaq Ventures, the principal strategic investment arm of Nasdaq. Mr. Offner spoke about his profession, how to tell if a stock is a good investment, and the differences between different brokerage firms.
 
On behalf of the Finance & Investment Club, I would like to thank Mr. Offner for his time, advice, and inspirational information. We hope to have Mr. Offner back to speak with us again soon.

Mr. Offner is the proud parent of two FA students: Grant, Class of 2022; and Kelly, Class of 2029. Click HERE to learn more about Mr. Offner's impressive background.
 
Roy Boyd III,  President, Finance & Investment Club

MS Author Visit
Nancy Rivers visited several Middle School English classes this week.

Sharing details about the book she wrote in 1998, Mrs. Rivers explained her writing process and inspiration. To her surprise and delight, A New Life for Toby was an instant success! Soon, Mrs. Rivers found her work of historical fiction recognized and recommended by Oprah Winfrey's Book Club and nominated for the Newbery Medal.

Set in middle Georgia during the Civil Rights Movement, racism and courage were two themes Mrs. Rivers brought to life through the characters she created. Frederica students were fascinated by our guest and asked many thoughtful questions about Mrs. Rivers' writing goals and her memories of turbulent times. Mrs. RIvers' inspired our Middle School students to always embrace their love of learning and literacy.
Second Grade Rainbows
Mrs. Schneider’s Second Grade class had a blast creating “Thankful Rainbows” out of card stock, popsicle sticks, and yarn last week. They listed things that they are thankful for, including their families, pets, homes, friends and school.
Second Grade Star Students
Our Second Grade Star Students last week were Harper Lavallee and Knox Flagstad. Harper and Knox shared their "All About Me" posters with the class. Both Star Students worked hard to decorate their posters and did a fantastic job!
They also invited a guest reader. Harper invited her Mom, FA Upper School Administrative Assistant, Ashley Lavallee and she read the book The Serious Goose.
Knox invited his sister, FA 4th grade student, Greer Flagstad. She read the book The Book With No Pictures.
FA Athletic Schedules
November + December

November 22 @ 1:00 PM
US Thespians at SoGlo Theater in Brunswick

November 23 @ 6:00 PM
Thespians Movie Night

November 25-27
Thanksgiving Break

November 27
Varsity Football First-Round of GISA AAA Play-Offs

December 2 @ 3:30 PM
All-School Faculty Meeting
Gym

December 5 (Morning)
SAT Exam at Glynn Academy

December 5 (Afternoon)
Middle School Chorus
Brunswick Christmas Parade

December 7 @ 6:00 PM
Middle School Treble Choir
King & Prince Hotel

December 8-10
MS + US Exam Review

December 10
Kona Ice Truck @ Lunch

December 11
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
MS + US Science Exams + Early Dismissal

December 11
First Grade Christmas Celebration
Jekyll Island Club Resort

December 12 (Morning)
ACT Exam

December 14
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
MS + US Math Exams + Early Dismissal

December 14 @ Noon
Photos with Santa (Kindergarten)
Sea Island Green

December 14 @ 1:00 PM
Jingle Bell + Giving Tree Celebration
Grades 2+3
Sea Island Green

December 14 @ 1:45 PM
Photos with Santa (Grades 2+3)
Sea Island Green

December 15
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
MS + US World Languages Exams + Early Dismissal

December 15 @ 11:00 AM
Photos with Santa (Pre-K)
Sea Island Green

December 15 @ 11:45 AM
Early Dismissal (PK, K, 1, 2, 3)

December 15 @ Noon
Jingle Bell + Giving Tree Celebration
Grades 4+5
Sea Island Green

December 15 @ 12:45 PM
Photos with Santa (Grades 4+5)
Sea Island Green

December 15
Early Dismissal for Grades 4+5
(Conclusion of Christmas Programs)

December 16
MS + US Make-Up Exams
Faculty + Staff Workday

December 16 - January 6
Student Christmas Break

December 17 - January 4
FA Employee Christmas Break

December 29 (Evening)
First Semester Grades Posted

January 4-5, 2021
Faculty + Staff Workdays
FA Social Media
Click HERE to access the 2020-2021
At-A-Glance Master Calendar.