Dear Frederica Families, 

The distinction between “belonging” and “participating” is a subtle but real one, and that distinction is on my mind of late after attending the FA Parent Association meeting last Wednesday morning and in anticipation of attending the Booster Club Kick-Off event on Tuesday, August 30, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the River Room at Coastal Kitchen (Thank you, new FA parents Jessica Phillips and Joshua Nichols!). Sharing an activity or a commitment with others over time who also harbor the same interests and passions as you can be one of life’s most rewarding and fulfilling endeavors, and having that opportunity available at your children’s school might be an additional moment of serendipity and good fortune.

As parents who may already be actively involved in other organizations or who are employed full-time outside the home, working alongside peers who share a common goal and the commitment to achieving that goal know just how satisfying that can be. So many events and activities at school would be impossible or dramatically diminished in scope and effectiveness were it not for the volunteer core group of parents. Again, whether it is volunteering at an athletic/arts event in one of the myriad support roles essential to hosting the full experience of an event, pre-selecting from the menu of volunteer activities that take place throughout the school year that require parent support, or simply being on a call list of volunteers to handle unforeseen moments where support is needed… actively participating at school as your schedule allows makes a real and impactful difference both for the school and, I imagine, for the individual parent.

My observation may be most relevant for new parents looking to find an additional connection to the school community or to parents whose children are just now getting involved in extracurricular activities like athletics and the arts on a different level. But it is also true for other parents as well because the composition of classes and teams changes annually so the opportunity to meet and work alongside a different set of parents may occur every year, every season, or even every event.

If you would like to hear more about the FA Booster Club and experience directly the enthusiasm of that group, I strongly encourage you to attend the Coastal Kitchen event this Tuesday evening to meet others interested in supporting our student/athletes at FA and to learn more about the club. If you were unable to attend the first Parent Association gathering last week and are considering a more active role within that organization, I would encourage you to email Meredith Flagstad or Kimbrough Haverstock, FA Parent Association Co-Presidents this year, at [email protected]. Also, please make sure to read their message in this newsletter; it contains important dates and valuable information.

When people ask me to identify the signature characteristics of the FA community, near the top of my list sits the demonstrated loyalty and level of active volunteerism within the parent body. At FA, we know the difference between belonging and participating, and we live that difference every day as we all collectively model what we expect of our students.

Respectfully,

Scott L. Hutchinson

Head of School

Sunday @ 8:00 PM

Coach Derrick's Radio Show

Porch

Monday @ 10:00 AM

Upper School Assembly

2022-2023 US Clubs

Gym

Monday @ 3:30 PM

STEM Club Meeting

Mrs. Bradford's Classroom

Monday-Wednesday @ 4:00 PM

MS + US CLUE Auditions

Hamilton Hall

Tuesday @ 10:00 AM

Georgia College Admission

College Counseling Center

Tuesday @ 1:00 PM

Augusta University

College Counseling Center

Wednesday @ 1:05 PM

Health + Wellness Club Meeting

Complimentary Pizza

Berte Bistro

Tuesday @ 4:00 PM

Department Meetings

Tuesday @ 5:00 PM

Varsity Volleyball @ Home

vs. Bradwell Institute

Tuesday @ 5:30 PM

FA Booster Club Kick-Off Event

Coastal Kitchen (River Room)

Wednesday @ 10:00 AM

US Advisory

Student + Honor Council Voting

Wednesday @ 4:00 PM

Middle School Tennis

vs. St. Francis

@ Glynn Academy

Wednesday @ 5:00 PM

Middle School Volleyball

@ Home vs. St. Francis

Wednesday @ 6:00 PM

US Parent Curriculum Night

US Ambassador Volunteers Needed:

Contact: Gillian Sullivan

Thursday

DON SCOTT DAY

Thursday (7:30 AM - 8:30 AM)

FA Spirit Wear Sale

NEW MERCHANDISE!

Gym Lobby

Thursday @ 5:00 PM

Middle School Football

@ Bethesda Academy

Savannah

Thursday @ 5:00 PM

Varsity Volleyball @ Home

vs. St. Andrews

Friday

School-Wide Spirit Day

MS + US "Pep Rally" Schedule

Friday @ 8:10 AM

Lower School Morning Meeting

Hamilton Hall

Friday @ 2:20 PM

Varsity Football Home Opener

Kick-Off Celebration

Sea Island Green

Friday @ 7:30 PM

Varsity Football Home Opener

vs. Valwood

Under the Oaks (FA Football Field)

Student Section Theme: NEON

Saturday Morning

Jekyll Island Cross Country Invitational

Varsity Boys @ 7:30 AM

Varsity Girls @ 8:05 AM

Middle School following Varsity Girls

Thanks so much to everyone who attended our first FA Parent Association meeting last Wednesday! It was so nice to see so many new and familiar faces come together to kick-off the 2022-2023 school year. As a reminder, please mark your calendar and plan to join us for these upcoming meetings and events:

TRUNK OR TREAT KICK-OFF MEETING

Tuesday, August 30, 8:15 AM

Shuman Conference Room (Been Library)

Trunk or Treat is such a fun event that brings our FA community together. At this meeting, come and learn more about the event and possible ways to get involved. No amount of help is too little. We hope you can make it! If you need to bring a little one, they are welcome too! Please save the date for Trunk or Treat: Monday, October 24.

PARENT SOCIALS

We are so excited to bring parents together our upcoming social events! Please save the dates below and watch your inbox for a special invitation.

LOWER SCHOOL

Thursday

September 15

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Coffee + Breakfast

Coastal Kitchen

River Room

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Tuesday

September 27

6:00 pm - 8:00 PM

Happy Hour

Wolf Island Oyster Co.

UPPER SCHOOL

Wednesday

September 21

5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Happy Hour

Bubble Bar @

Two Friends

GRADE REPRESENTATIVES

Special thanks to all of our amazing parents who have volunteered to serve as grade reps this year! Grade representatives will be reaching out to introduce themselves and answer any questions you may have. For a grade rep list and contact info click here.

We look forward to seeing you soon and don’t forget to check out our ongoing list of volunteer opportunities and let us know how you’d like to get involved.

Dear FA Families,

It’s normal to feel a mix of emotions at the start of the new school year such as excitement, worry, fatigue, and even sadness at the loss of summer freedom. But, if distress, anxiety, fatigue, and/or sadness tends to linger after a few weeks of getting ‘settled’, it may be important to take notice.  

Rates of anxiety and depression are rising; therefore, it’s important to watch for signs in your child/teen such as:

• Extreme worry or sadness
• Physical symptoms like headaches or stomach aches
• Moodiness, irritability
• Trouble sleeping
• Panic attacks
• Hyperactivity
• Unhealthy eating habits
• Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past
• Difficulty with attention and concentration
• Poor academic performance or avoiding schoolwork

I am here to help; please reach out if you have any concerns! Remember, Strength is handling what we can on our own, knowing when we need help and asking for help when we need it. Make an appointment. Resources are available.

Mrs. Lee, School Counselor

[email protected]

Effective this week, there will be no KiX pick-ups at the Knights Castle before 3:30 p.m. due to the amount of time it takes to transition getting students over to the Knights Castle building.

The regular registration deadline for the October 1st SAT

is Friday, September 2nd!

Click HERE to register.

Frederica Academy will be open as a testing center for the October 1st SAT.

Explore Khan Academy's FREE

prep resources to help get

ready for the exam

The regular registration deadline for the October 22nd ACT

is Friday, September 16th!

Click HERE to register.

Explore ACT's FREE prep

resources to help get ready

for the exam.

Juniors interested in SPRING Dual Enrollment should plan on taking the SAT or ACT in October to complete a Dual Enrollment application.

FA fans are invited to attend or listen to Coach Derrick's Radio Show  tonight at 8:00 p.m. at Porch near the SSI Pier Village.

Lower School After-School Clubs start this week.

The pick-up time for all clubs MONDAY-THURSDAY is 4:00 p.m. Parents should form only one line when picking up students participating in After-School Clubs.

Pick-up time for FRIDAY After-School Clubs is 3:45 p.m. since Middle School carline ends before 3:45 p.m. on Fridays.

Pick-up for Junior Knights will be held in the cul-de-sac behind Corn Hall due to the size of this club.

Auditions will take place in Hamilton Hall this week on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.

The Upper School will have its annual Clubs Assembly on Monday. Club advisors and student leaders will be sharing details about each club and how students interested can join. Click HERE to view the 2022-2023 Upper School Clubs and Organizations list.

In recognition of Don Scott's longstanding, distinguished service and his impending retirement, Frederica Academy has declared September 1 as DON SCOTT DAY! Mr. Don will be honored in a variety of ways and places throughout the day.

The FA Booster Club is hosting a Spirit Wear Sale in the Gym Lobby on Thursday between 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM.

There will be a school-wide celebration in front of Corn Hall on Friday at 2:20 p.m. in recognition of the Varsity Football Team's home opener that night. Coach Derrick and Coach Zimmermann will introduce each of their players and cheerleaders.

The Lower School JR Knights will perform during the celebration and are reminded to wear their pink cheer shirt and bow, which will be provided during their club session this week. The pink shirts should be worn with their uniform bottoms on Friday.

Our Varsity Football Knights will host the Valwood Valiants on Friday night for their season home opener. The game starts at 7:30 p.m.

The home gate will be located at the corner of the East Campus Parking Lot near the Pavilion construction. The visitor gate will be located near the baseball field.

Although all of the construction areas will be cordoned off with fencing, all fans (especially children) should be exceptionally careful when traversing near the fenced areas.

The Booster Club needs volunteers to help during the game. Please click here to volunteer.

STUDENT SECTION THEME:  NEON

All FA students, teachers, and staff will have their yearbook photos taken on Tuesday, September 6, between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., in the Shuman Conference Room. Please note that Monday, September 5, is a school holiday.

FIFTH GRADE PARENT MEETING HOSTED BY DAVID NELSON

Fifth Grade parents are invited to a grade-level meeting hosted by David Nelson, Middle School Director, on Wednesday, September 7, at 8:15-9:00 a.m. in Shuman Conference Room. Mr. Nelson will discuss the transition to Middle School, the fifth grade program, and adolescent development.

SIXTH GRADE PARENT MEETING HOSTED BY DAVID NELSON

Sixth Grade parents are invited to a grade-level meeting hosted by David Nelson, Middle School Director, on Thursday, September 8, at 8:15-9:00 a.m. in Shuman Conference Room. Mr. Nelson will discuss the sixth grade program and adolescent development.

The Coast to Coast College Tour is a virtual program hosted by Dartmouth College, Northwestern University, Princeton University, University of California-Berkeley, and Vanderbilt University. Students and parents interested in learning more about these colleges from admissions representatives are invited to register for one of their two programs.  

Wednesday, September 7, 2022, 7:00 PM - Registration Link

Wednesday, September 28, 2022, 8:00 PM - Registration Link

Exploring College Options is a special informational program sponsored by the undergraduate admissions offices of five of the country's leading universities: Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

Students may register for any of the virtual program dates below.

Sunday, September 18, 6:00 PM EDT

Monday, September 19, 7:00 PM EDT

Sunday, October 2, 6:00 PM EDT

Monday, October 3, 7:00 PM EDT

Frederica Academy's annual flu vaccine clinic will take place on Thursday, October 13 between noon and 3:00 p.m. in the Gym. This clinic is open to all FA staff, students, and family members. The flu vaccine forms should be turned in to Nurse Pope by October 6th. Please call Nurse Pope with any questions.

Nikki Pope BS RNC BSN

Frederica Academy School Nurse

912 638 9981 x 492

[email protected]

Debate and Speech Team Start the Season

Members of the Upper School Debate Team polished their speeches at a practice meet on Saturday, August 27. Freshmen Johnathan Aiken, Haseley Caine, and Wilson McCallum, with advisor Dr. Tess Nielsen, attended the Georgia Forensic Coaches Association practice meet at Valdosta High School. Throughout the day, students from five high school schools learned debate techniques and gained experience in Interpretive Speaking. The students had the opportunity to perform in practice rounds and gain feedback from judges. The Upper School Debate Team is open to students in Grades 8-12, and meetings are held during lunch periods and after school. More information about the Debate team will be presented at the Upper School Clubs meeting this week. 

Photo Above (L-R): Johnathan Aiken, Haseley Caine, Wilson McCallum, and advisor Dr. Nielsen at Valdosta High School Debate Meet. 

Members of the Upper School Service Council organized a very successful clothing drive to help kick-off the new school year. Donations collected were transported to Safe Harbor last week. Congratulations to Parker Jules and her entire volunteer team. The FAmily extends its heartfelt appreciation to everyone who donated items.

DISCOVERING A PASSION

Seventh and Eighth Grade students have the opportunity to choose their electives for the fall and spring semesters. One of the goals of the electives program is to encourage students to try new areas of interest or to delve deeper into an area they may already consider a passion. The Seventh Grade menu included offerings in art, music, makerspace (technology & design) and Broadcast Media, while the Eighth Grade substituted Entrepreneurial Studies/Podcasting in place of the journalism offering.

The Broadcast Media class created its first news video last week. The video was shown in Advisory on Thursday and is posted above for your viewing. Wouldn't it be cool if this was the start of a career for one of our Knights on one of the major networks or ESPN?

David Nelson

Middle School Director

Third Grade students read the book, The Doorbell Rang to kick off their unit of division. After reading the book, the students shared cookies (just like the book!) into equal groups to help demonstrate that division is equal shares.

The First Grade STEM challenge last week was to build a float that would help keep the pigeon out of the “bath” after reading The Pigeon Needs a Bath, by Mo Williams. We tested our floats to see how many pennies they could hold. This was an exciting competition for our First Graders! 

The Kindergarten Class filled its “sparkler” jar! This means that they earned praise, as a class, five times! Wow! The children voted to bring in a stuffed animal as their reward last Tuesday. They had a blast!

Lore Eisentraeger’s grandmother, Jody McCollum, was the Pre-K Mystery Reader last week. She read two books: Bats in the Library, by Brian Lies, and The Snatchabook by Helen and Thomas Docherty. Lore loved having her grandmother read to the class!

September 5

Labor Day (School Holiday)

September 6

Yearbook School Photos

Individual Headshots

Shuman Conference Room

September 7 @ 8:15 AM

Fifth Grade Parent Meeting

Shuman Conference Room

Host: David Nelson

September 7 @ 3:30 PM

All-School Faculty Meeting

September 7 @ 6:00 PM

Senior College Night

Hamilton Hall

September 8

Drop/Add Ends (Upper School)

September 8 @ 8:15 AM

Sixth Grade Parent Meeting

Shuman Conference Room

Host: David Nelson

September 8 @ 10:00 AM

Upper School Advisory

Handbook #3 + Signing

September 9

School-Wide Spirit Day

September 10

ACT Exam at FA

September 11

National Grandparents Day

September 13 @ 9:50 AM

First + Last Grade Fall Convocation

MS + US Morning Assembly Schedule

September 14

US Author Visit

September 14 @ 4:00 PM

US Faculty Meeting

September 15

Q1 Progress Reports Posted

September 15 (8:30 - 10:00 AM)

Lower School

FA Parent Association

Parent Social Coffee + Breakfast

River Room at Coastal Kitchen

September 21

Worry Free Wednesday

September 21 (5:30 - 7:30 PM)

Upper School

FA Parent Association

Parent Social Happy Hour

Bubble Bar at Two Friends

September 23

School-Wide Spirit Day

September 26-30

Homecoming Week

Daily Dress-Up Days

September 27 (6:00 - 8:00 PM)

Middle School

FA Parent Association

Parent Social Happy Hour

Wolf Island Oyster Co.

September 28 @ 1:00 PM

UGA Admission Rep.

College Counseling Center

September 29 @ 8:15 AM

Parent Association Coffee

Shuman Conference Room

September 30

MS + US Pep Rally Schedule

September 30 @ 2:20 PM

Homecoming Pep Rally

September 30 @ 7:30 PM

Homecoming Game vs. Tattnall Square Academy

October 1

SAT Exam at FA

October 1 @ 8:00 PM

Homecoming Dance