FA Weekly e-Newsletter (9.18.22)

Head of School Message

Dear FA Families,

Last week, I found myself in an extended conversation with an Upper School student as we gathered for the First and Last Grade Fall Convocation. That helpful exchange vividly brought to life three core expectations that, when delivered upon, prove to be key differentiators in an FA education. A portion of my job is to provide essential support to the division leaders and then in turn to the teachers to ensure that those expectations can be met.

The first expectation is that we, as a school, will expose our students to myriad new ideas and new ways of thinking in creative, original ways that spawn a genuine curiosity for learning all about themselves and the world around them. That means both teacher-directed explorations and teacher-facilitated, peer interactive learning environments. Being fully engaged in the world matters, especially when one is young and in full exploration mode.

The second is that we articulate and model high expectations for effort and behavior in everything that our children engage in and that as they mature and grow older we encourage them to assume the lead role in creating those expectations for themselves as we, the adults, incrementally excuse ourselves from that portion of the equation. Achievement often follows closely behind effort and applied knowledge so I don’t identify achievement as an essential, isolated expectation of its own. Assuming that everything or nearly everything in life is worth a best effort is a worldview fostered at school that can pay dividends for your children for years to come.

The third is that we provide pathways forward and relationships that encourage students to find and develop their best selves. Knowing one’s end destination is a prerequisite to ever arriving at that destination, but it is the hard work along the journey that makes the ultimate arrival possible. Good schools help the youth in their care identify aspects of how they want to be; great schools provide the incentive, motivation, and skill sets to help them actually do the work to get there.

All of us who work at the school have trained hard to be able to deliver high-quality instruction, and we are committed to building supportive relationships with your children. We expect a lot from ourselves and from our colleagues, and we want you to hold similar expectations for us as well.

Respectfully,

Scott L. Hutchinson

Head of School

This Week at FA

Today @ 3:00 PM

MS + US Theater Trip

Island Players Theater

Monday @ 10:00 AM

Upper School Assembly

Gym

Monday @ 1:05 PM

Debate Club Meeting

Music Room #2

Monday @ 1:05 PM

Oracle Literary Journal

Editorial Staff Meeting

Tuesday @ 7:30 AM

US student Council Meeting

College Counseling Center

Tuesday (7:30 AM - 9:00 AM)

FA Parent Association

Recycled Uniform Sale

Been Library Breezeway

Tuesday @ 10:00 AM

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

FA Campus Visit

College Counseling Center

Tuesday @ 1:05 PM

Health + Wellness Club Meeting

Shuman Conference Room

Tuesday

Varsity Volleyball Tri-Match

@ Southeast Bulloch

Southeast Bulloch @ 6:00 PM

Ware County @ 7:00 PM

Wednesday

US "Dress Down Day"

Wear Blue or Purple to Support

Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month

Wednesday @ 10:00 AM

US Advisory

Suicide Prevention Video

Wednesday @ 1:05 PM

US Worry Free Wednesday

Sea Island Green

Wednesday @ 4:00 PM

MS Tennis vs. Glynn Middle

@ Glynn Academy Tennis Courts

Wednesday @ 4:00 PM

Department Chair Meeting

Mrs. Gallagher's Classroom

Wednesday (5:30 PM - 7:30 PM)

US Parent Social

Bubble Bar @ Two Friends

Click HERE to RSVP

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

FA Spirit Wear Sale

Gym Lobby

Thursday @ 1:05 PM

Upper School Model UN

Organizational Meeting

Mrs. Bradford's Classroom

Thursday @ 4:00 PM

MS Tennis vs. St. Francis

@ Glynn Academy Tennis Courts

Thursday @ 5:00 PM

MS Cross Country

@ College of Coastal Georgia

Thursday @ 5:00 PM

Varsity Volleyball @ Valwood

Dismissal @ 1:00 PM

Thursday @ 6:00 PM

MS Football @ Home

vs. Bethesda

Friday (All Day)

FA Spirit Day

FA "Gold Out" Day

Friday @ 8:10 AM

LS Morning Meeting

Hamilton Hall

Friday @ 6:15 PM

FA Booster Club Tailgate Party

New FA Pavilion

Friday @ 7:30 PM

Varsity Football Game @ Home

vs. Clinch County

CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER!

DRAFT 2022-2023 FA Directory

Please click on the button below to review a DRAFT of the FA 2022-2023 Family and Employee Directory, and email Anita Shelbrack to submit edits or changes.

DRAFT FA 2022-203 Directory

Click to Email Anita Shelbrack

A Message from the School Counselor

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Bringing awareness and supporting families and organizations for Childhood Cancer has been near and dear to the heart of Frederica Academy's Middle School for many years, and this year we are excited to bring this initiative to the entire school!

A new FA Sixth Grade student is selected annually for the Connor Landis Scholarship. Connor Landis was a beautiful soul who lost her battle to cancer prior to entering Sixth Grade. More than a decade ago, her parents, Cindy and Mark Landis, agreed to allow the school to establish a scholarship program in her memory and to also honor Connor by bringing Childhood Cancer awareness and support to the forefront each September during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month .

Accordingly, we are hosting a school-wide Gold-Out Day on Friday, September 23, to bling out in all things gold for a good cause! We will collect donations for Blue Skies Ministries, whose mission is to provide support and care for families living through the challenges of pediatric cancer. Donation collection buckets will be located around the campus as well as at the ticket table during the September 23 varsity football game. You may also click HERE to donate online.

Go Gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness!

Rachael D. Lee, M.A, LPC

School Counselor (K-12th Grades)

[email protected]

912-638-9981 ext. 746

The Knights Table

FA Weekly Menus

PK Lunch Order Form

Congrats, 2022 Homecoming Courts!

Tiana Jackson

Senior

Parker Jules

Senior

Graceson Rownd

Senior

Mackenzie Todd

Junior

Reese Hankey

Sophomore

Ricoria Holmes

Freshman

Representatives on the 2022 Homecoming Queen Court will be presented during halftime of the Varsity Football Homecoming Game on Friday, September 30. The ceremony concludes with the crowning of one of the senior representatives as this year's Homecoming Queen.

The senior Homecoming King Court will be recognized during the Homecoming Pep Rally on Friday, September 30, at 2:20 p.m. One of the representatives will be crowned Homecoming King during the pep rally.

JJ Briggs

Senior

Michael Collier

Senior

Whitmarsh Tennant

Senior

FA Parent Association News

Dear FA Parents,

Thank you to everyone that came to the LS social at the River Room. It was a beautiful morning and so nice to see everyone. We had an amazing breakfast courtesy of Jill Casey.

Please don't forget to mark your calendars and rsvp to the upcoming Middle School and Upper School socials.

We have added a uniform sale to the calendar; so, please stop by to stock up this Tuesday!

Tuesday, September 20th

Recycled Uniform Sale

7:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Been Library Breezeway

We will be accepting checks, cash, or you can charge your family account. We will have a collection bin on site for any uniform items you would like to donate before shopping. Please remember you can always donate your child's outgrown uniform pieces any time at the collection bin located outside of the Lower School entrance. We look forward to seeing you there!

We are also looking forward to launching our Thursday Morning “Coffee & Conversations” series. Please join us Thursday, September 29th, at 8:15 a.m. for our inaugural event. This fall’s coffee will feature a lively chat and introductions to some of FA’s resident experts and resources.

Start your Christmas shopping early by gifting a wreath or poinsettia to family or co-workers, or deck your own halls with beautiful and fresh greenery this holiday season! Orders are due by Friday, October 7th. Orders can be submitted online here or you can print the attached form and send it to school with your child. To help encourage 100% participation, all faculty and students (by way of a family order) will be entered to win a prize! Details forthcoming. This is the PA single largest fundraiser. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Frederica Academy families can support us in three ways:

Order greenery and/or poinsettias for your own home and your extended family! Note: The 22” wreath can be shipped; so, it’s perfect for out-of-town family or for those that want a convenient delivery option!
Share this link with your friends, neighbors and other community organizations, and encourage them to purchase their holiday greenery needs through our sale.
Order greenery and/or poinsettias for your work, local business, or favorite charity!

We are so excited to celebrate Halloween at our Second Annual Halloween Trunk or Treat! Save the date for Monday, October 24th. Start planning your costumes and don't delay in signing up to be one of our trunks! Spots are limited. Click here to sign up your trunk! The sign-up deadline is October 10th.

FA Spirit Wear Sale: THURSDAY

FA Spirit Day (Option #1): FRIDAY

FA Gold Out Day (Option #2): FRIDAY

TFA Booster Club Tailgate Party:

FRIDAY (6:15 - 7:15 PM)

Friday Knight Volunteers Needed! Click to Sign Up!

FA Friday Knight Lights: FRIDAY @ 7:30 PM

CoastFest + Art Exhibit:

SEPTEMBER 20 - OCTOBER 3

FA art students in Grades 4, 7, and 8 have submitted artwork in this year's CoastFest's Art Exhibit. The artwork will be on display between September 20 and October 3 at the Glynn County Library in downtown Brunswick (208 Gloucester Street). The public can visit the exhibit before CoastFest by visiting the library during its normal business hours. Its hours are (subject to change):

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday: 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

For more information about visiting the Marshes of Glynn Brunswick Library, visit their website by clicking here.

CoastFest, in its 28th year, is the largest outreach event hosted by the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. This free, family-friendly event features educational programs, touch tanks, wildlife viewing opportunities, and exhibitors from partner agencies and nonprofit organizations.

There's plenty to see and do for people of all ages at CoastFest. Whether you're interested in fishing, sea turtles, birds of prey, or Coastal Georgia history, we have something for you! Bring your family, curiosity, and sense of adventure when you "Catch the Excitement" at CoastFest 2022 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Brunswick, 100 F St., Brunswick, GA 31520.

CoastFest is a free-admission event and will happen rain or shine.

Homecoming: NEXT WEEK

All-School Homecoming Week Daily Dress-Up Themes

To promote school unity, students in all three divisions will have the same dress-up themes during Homecoming Week this year.

Monday - Pajama Day

Tuesday - Construction Day (All-School Competition: Best Designed Hardhat)

Wednesday - Island Theme

Thursday - Camo Day

Friday - Spirit Day

Homecoming Dance: OCTOBER 1

Upper School Homecoming Dance

Date: Saturday, October 1, 2022

Location: Frederica Academy’s Gym

Start Time: 8:00 PM (attendees must arrive by 9:00 PM)

End Time: 10:00 PM

Entry Fee: $15

Attire: Semi-formal

Dance Policies:

All Upper School students are invited to attend
Students who would like to invite a non-Frederica Academy student to the dance MUST submit a Guest Permission Request Form by Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Middle school students and individuals over the age of 21 are not permitted to attend
Attendees and their guests will be billed $15 (each) through the Business Office
Students will be breathalyzed upon entering the event

LS + MS Standardized Testing

This week, Lower School will administer a standardized test called the ERB (officially known as the Comprehensive Testing Program - CTP). Students in Second, Third, and Fourth Grades will be assessed in the areas of reading, vocabulary, and mathematics. Testing will occur the first two hours each day, starting Monday morning and concluding on Thursday.

We have several objectives in administering the ERB.

Because it is used by many independent schools, we are able to gain a comparative picture of the strength of our programs in relation to the top 20% of schools nationally and internationally, which take the ERB.

This test also gives us a comprehensive view of each student. It is both an Achievement Test-measuring mastery of skill and knowledge acquired directly from classroom instruction in reading, math, and vocabulary; as well as a Reasoning Test which gives us an understanding of a student's facility with subtle, abstract relationships expressed in words or numbers.

By administering the ERB in September and analyzing the results shortly thereafter we are able to guide your child and enhance our curriculum to benefit his or her experience within the same school year. Results are sent to parents, and teachers are available to discuss these results with you early in the second semester.

Students in Grades 5-7 will take part in the CTP in mid-October. The dates are:

Wednesday, October 19, 8:15 AM -10:30 AM
Thursday, October 20, 8:15 AM -10:00 AM
Monday, October 24, 8:15 AM -11:25 AM

Eighth Grade students at FA will take the PSAT on Wednesday, November 2.

Students will have classes and special meetings following the tests each day. Some of this time will be spent on class trip preparations for Carpe Vitam.

FA Pink Out Game: OCTOBER 7

Flu Vaccine Clinic: OCTOBER 13

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]

Student Form

Adult Form

Parent-Teacher Conferences: OCTOBER 21

FA Jaguars Game: NOVEMBER 6

Braxton Sykes Headline Act:

DECEMBER 1-3

Click for More Information

FA's very own Braxton Sykes will be one of the headline acts at this year's Georgia Elvis Festival, which will take place at the Strickland Auditorium (Epworth by the Sea on December 1-3.

Braxton is in the Seventh Grade and has been starring in Elvis festivals around the country for the past several years.

Please click the button above for details and ticket information.

Braxton July 2021 Performance

First + Last Grade Fall Convocation

Photo Album

Last Tuesday, the entire FA campus community gathered together in the gymnasium for the 2022-2023 First and Last Grade Fall Convocation. Members of the Class of 2023 escorted First Grade students into the ceremony to celebrate their inaugural grade-level journey at FA. For members of the Class of 2034, it was an opportunity for them to escort the seniors to their first school-wide assembly in the last year of their high school career.

At the conclusion of the program, the seniors escorted their First Grade counterparts back to their classrooms in Happy Hall. As the seniors returned to Corn Hall, their parents were lined up in the Hodnett Plaza to greet them with spectacular homemade signs chronicling their childhoods and FA experiences.

US Author Visit

Last week, the Upper School welcomed NY Times Best Selling Author Elizabeth Wein, author of the Upper School's summer reading selection Cold Name Verity. A natural storyteller, Ms. Wein shared her inspirations for writing the novel, including her high school French teacher who was a part of the French Resistance. She also shared some valuable writing strategies, including the power of the editing process and ways to combat writer’s block. Mrs. Walbridge and all of the students she met with were so thankful that Ms. Wein made the long journey from Scotland to inspire them to tell their own stories and the stories of others!

Photo Album

9/11 SSI First Responder Gratitude

On 9/11, Upper School Student Council members and several classmates visited each firehouse and the police station on St. Simons to deliver spaghetti dinners and desserts. All the food for the spaghetti supper was prepared and homemade by FA students and families. This would not have been possible without the FA community’s support! Beside a spaghetti supper, each firehouse and the police station received "thank you" cards from our Lower School art students. Thank you, Mandy Etheridge, for organizing this gratitude operation. The firefighters were touched and very thankful for the appreciation during the student visits.

The students appreciated the Glynn County Fire Department for being so welcoming and gracious to take time out of their Sunday night to show each group around each fire station. The students enjoyed getting a tour around the fire house, trying on the fire equipment, and being able to explore the fire trucks!

The supper is just a small act of thanks that we have for our local heroes. We appreciate all of our first responders in this community who sacrifice it all to save us in our time of need. There is not enough thanks that can be shared to show our true appreciation. You are truly our heroes!

Middle School FRED FACTS

Sixth Grade Makerspace

Sixth Grade Makerspace students are building circuits on breadboards. Peyton Kruk took her project to the next level.

Third Grade Dolphin Tour

Photo Album

Third Grade Science Project

Third Grade students turned the Berte Bistro into an outdoor classroom last week for a science project, which was a huge hit with the students.

First Grade STEM Project

The First Grade STEM project helped students get into the spirit of fall last week! The students read Johnny Appleseed and the Bears by David Novak before building a basket that could hold the most “apples.” Congratulations to Noah Sloane Evans and Ford Shanks for building a basket that held 101 “apples”!