A Message from the Fine Arts Department |
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Dear FA Families,
Creativity flourishes when imaginative and critical thinking form new and meaningful ideas. Often connected with problem-solving, creativity can be driven by a sense of purpose. At Frederica Academy, the fine arts program focuses on creativity training because developing a young person’s creativity has never been as important as it is today.
In the Lower School, Mrs. Reagan Rafaelle brightens the musical lives of our youngest students, while Mrs. Mandy Etheredge’s influence in the art room nurtures the seeds of creativity. In the Middle School, it's a joy to teach alongside Dr. Jordan Taylor, as we build the band, chorus, and orchestra ensembles. Mrs. Laura Edenfield continues to inspire her Upper and Middle School visual arts students with a wide range of studio projects and art history classes.
Creative Media is the most quickly evolving fine arts area at Frederica. Working in creative media combines artistic ideas with digital design tools. Dr. Taylor expertly guides his Audio Tech students in digital recording, and I love challenging my Digital Media students to write scripts and produce short films. Mr. Taylor Lenon incorporates all manner of photography and graphic design in his teaching, and Mr. Caleb Shorthouse and Mr. Hogan Dyer continue to lead the Yearbook students in beautifully-produced publications. This year, we launch a Literary Magazine, also incorporating digital design. In this manner, many students express creativity in the digital realm, through photography, video, livestreaming, and graphic design using Apple products and the Adobe Creative Cloud platform.
Such artistic flourishing includes the willingness and ability to engage students in today's complicated world as they exercise their creativity. While imaginative thought might traditionally be associated with the arts, it is equally important for innovating in science, technology, engineering and math. Important creativity skills include listening, observation and empathy as well as experimentation, collaboration and analysis – skills from humanities and science. In a post-Covid society, our school can produce young people who take on cross-functional roles and possess technical, social and analytic skills, all requiring advanced creativity. Naturally, creativity training builds a bridge between the humanities and science.
This week, The Upper School Popular Music Ensemble (PME), under the direction of Dr. Jordan Taylor, embarks on a trip to The Loft Recording Studio at Columbus State University. The band will record several songs in the studio.
On Friday, October 1st, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., the Popular Music Ensemble, Knightingales Vocal Ensemble, and Thespian Troupe perform at the Ritz Theatre. This event is free and open to the public. Please come and hear our fantastic ensembles and see a sneak-peek of the hilarious 1-Act Play called {Title of Show}. At 7:00 p.m. that same evening, Designer DeLeon Peacock presents a Wearable Art Fashion Show, featuring several of our Upper School students as models! These events, sponsored by Brunswick First Friday, are free, family-appropriate, and open to the public.
Regarding future performance events, I’m pleased to announce the return of the Visiting Artist program, in conjunction with our inaugural Fine Arts Hall of Fame induction, in February 2022. To view the complete list of events, please visit the Fine Arts homepage.
Unwavering resilience, combined with creativity, is the hallmark of the Frederica experience. This year, we have an opportunity to be really creative by reimagining all that is possible. With every action and word, we affirm that what our students create is valid and important.
Tess Nielsen, DMA
Fine Arts Director
Office: 912-638-9981
Cell: 912-540-0308
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VOLUNTEER OPPOORTUNITIES THIS WEEK:
This Week
MS Student Council
Election Speeches
Monday @ 10:00 AM
US Academic Achievement Assembly
Monday @ 4:00 PM
MS Tennis @ Glynn Middle
Tuesday @ 7:30 AM
MS Faculty Meeting
Shuman Conference Room
Tuesday (Morning)
ERB Testing (Grades 2-4)
Tuesday @ 10:00 AM
MS Head of School Award Ceremony
FA Gymnasium
Tuesday @ 10:00 AM
Senior Class College Meeting
Shuman Conference Room
Tuesday @ 1:05 PM
US Service Council Meeting
Mrs. Walbridge's Classroom
Tuesday @ 3:20 PM
Technology Club Meeting
Makerspace
Tuesday @ 5:00 PM
Varsity Volleyball @ Home
vs. Valwood
SENIOR NIGHT!
Wednesday @ 8:00 AM
FA Parent Association Meeting
Shuman Conference Room
Click HERE to access Livestream
Wednesday (Morning)
ERB Testing (Grades 2-4)
Wednesday @ 1:05 PM
US Finance + Investment Club Meeting
Mr. Willis' Classroom
Thursday (Morning)
ERB Testing (Grades 2-4)
Wednesday @ 4:00 PM
MS Tennis vs. St. Francis
@ Glynn Academy
Thursday @ 8:15 AM
Shuman Conference Room
Thursday (1:30 PM - 3:30 PM)
Covid Vaccine Clinic
(First + Second Shots Available)
FA Gymnasium
Thursday @ 5:00 PM
MS Football @ Bethesda Academy
in Savannah
Thursday @ 5:00 PM
MS Cross Country @ Blythe Island
Thursday Evening
FA Board of Visitors Reception
Friday Morning
FA Board of Visitors Meeting
Friday @ 7:30 PM
Varsity Football @ Long Country
Friday + Saturday
US Popular Music Ensemble
Field Trip
The Loft Recording Studio
Columbus State University
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FA Parent Association News |
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FA Parents, please join us for our fall FA Parents Association meeting!
- September 22, at 8:15 a.m., in the Shuman Conference Room of the Been Library
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Featuring a brief State of the School by Scott Hutchinson and Mike Temple
- Livestream option available (link below)
Due to time constraints, we will not be able to host a live Q&A. If you have any questions in advance of the meeting or if there's anything you would like the PA to address, please submit your questions in advance.
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Cross Country - NEW
September 23 Deadline
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Swimming - NEW
September 25 Deadline
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THIS WEEK
ERB Testing (Grades 2-4)
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This week, Lower School will administer a paper and pencil 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 Tuesday morning and concluding for the week 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.
Please remember that a single standardized test is simply a snapshot of your child's ability at one point in time. Click HERE for more information about this assessment.
Please click HERE to email Mrs. Pruitt should you have questions or want more information
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MONDAY @ 10:00 AM
US Assembly
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TUESDAY @ 10:00 AM
Middle School Assembly
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TUESDAY @ 10:00 AM
Senior Class Meeting
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WEDNESDAY @ 8:00 AM
Parent Association Meeting
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THURSDAY (1:30 PM - 3:30 PM)
Covid Vaccine Clinic
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OCTOBER 1
FA First Friday Performance
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The Upper School band, Popular Music Ensemble (PME), led by Dr. Taylor, and members of the Thespians Troupe, led by Dr. Nielsen, will perform at the Ritz Theatre as a part of Brunswick First Fridays. The student show begins at 4:00 p.m. At 7:00 p.m., DeLeon Peacock, Designer, and Harlan Hambright, Author, will present a fashion show and book signing. Our Upper School students will appear as models, and the audience is invited to stay for their presentation as well. |
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Last week, Upper School Student Council President Charlie Runyan welcomed First Grade and Senior parents to this year's traditional First + Last Ceremony, where members of the Class of 2022 escorted our First Grade students to and from the ceremony in the gym so they could be individually introduced to the audience.
As part of the tradition, seniors proudly displayed the poster collages their parents made to honor their childhood and FA journeys.
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Carley Blogg was honored at last week's 9/11 Remembrance Assembly for winning the Veterans of Foreign Wars' District 7 (South Georgia) Patriot's Pen Essay Award. Carley's essay was selected the top essay from among 235 local entries and more than 1,000 essays submitted at the district level.
Congratulations, Carley!
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Middle School Design Class |
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The Middle School Design Class has been working on understanding camera settings, experimenting with lenses, and editing photos. |
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Fourth Grade students worked on collaborative 3D forest scenes in art class last week. |
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Third Grade students have been studying the sea as a part of their first Wit and Wisdom module. To “dive deeper,” students, teachers, and parent chaperones took a dolphin tour with Cap Fendig on Friday and were able to see many dolphins. |
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Third Grade Shaving Cream |
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Third Grade students have also been hard at work learning their multiplication facts. What better way is there to practice these facts than to write them in shaving cream? Students got messy but proved they knew their 0, 1, 5, 9, and 10 facts. |
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Last week's Second Grade Star Students were Olivia McRae and Shoshin Bovinet. They did a wonderful job presenting their decorated All About Me Star posters and interviewing each other. Olivia invited her mom, Tania McRae to be her guest reader and Shoshin invited his mom, Stacy Bovinet to be his. Olivia and Shoshin did a fantastic job getting things rolling as the first pair of Star students for the year!
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First Grade STEM Challenge |
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On Friday, First Grade students participated in a STEM challenge to build a rake to move apples. They worked with a partner to design, draw, and build a rake. Students had to move paper apples across the floor. They enjoyed cheering on their classmates as they tested their designs. |
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Kindergarten Chicka Chicka Boom Boom STEM Activity |
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Last week’s Pre-K Mystery Reader was Virginia Lavin! She read Can You Make a Scary Face?, by Jan Thomas. Virginia is in Fifth Grade and returned to Happy Hall to read to her little brother's class. Wally was very excited to share the stage with his big sister.
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FA Fall Athletic Schedules |
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September + October Calendar |
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September 27 @ 8:15 AM
Shuman Conference Room
September 28
ERB Testing (Grades 2-4)
September 29 @ 8:15 AM
Shuman Conference Room
September 29 @ 1:00 PM
Wofford College
September 30 @ TBD
Senior Group + Superlative Photos
October 1 @ 10:00 AM
Fleming Hall Dedication
Middle School Lawn
October 1 (4:00 PM - 7:00 PM)
MS + US Music Performance @ 4:00 PM
First Friday
Downtown Brunswick (Ritz Theatre)
October 2
SAT Exam @ FA
October 2 (Noon - 5:00 PM)
Mobile Blood Drive
FA Campus
Middle School Parking Lot
October 5 @ 6:00 PM
Hamilton Landing Homeowners' Association Meeting
October 6 @ 3:30 PM
All-School Faculty + Staff Meeting
Gymnasium
October 6 @ 6:00 PM
College Financial Aid Night
October 8
End of First Quarter
October 8
FA Sports Hall of Fame Inductees Honored
Halftime of FA vs. Memorial Day Football Game
October 8
Varsity Football SGHS "Pink-Out" Game
October 9 @ 6:30 PM
FA Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Invitation Only
October 11
School Holiday - Fall Break
October 12-17
Gym Closed (Floor Refinishing)
October 13
PSAT Exam
Upper School Noon Dismissal
October 14
School Photo Retakes
(Make-Up Day)
October 15
Senior Knight
Varsity Football (Before game vs. Bulloch Academy)
Varsity Cheerleading (Halftime)
Varsity Cross Country (Halftime)
October 18
First Quarter Grades Posted
October 19
National Honor Society Assembly
Special MS + US Assembly Schedule
October 21-22
Parent Association Recycled Uniform Sales
October 21
Second Grade Pirate Day
October 21
MS + US Author Visit
October 21
Teacher + Staff Luncheon
Thank you, FA Parent Association!
October 21 (Evening Option)
MS + US Parent/Teacher Conferences
October 22
Parent-Teacher Conferences (PK-12)
No School for Students
October 23
ACT Exam @ FA
October 25-29
Homecoming Week
October 28
GISA AAA Regional One-Act Play Festival
October 29
Varsity Football Homecoming Game
vs. Pinewood Christian
Homecoming Court @ Halftime
November 1
Lower School Storybook Character Day
Parade @ 8:00 AM
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