Head of School Message
The purpose of life is not to be happy.
It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate,
to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear FA Families
 
As I mentioned in an earlier correspondence, each month I am going to highlight an attribute or two from the composite manufactured by the faculty and staff in their pre-planning exercise to create a Portrait of an FA Graduate.

This month I am writing about honor and honorable behavior, which received more than twice the number of nominations as any other trait during our exercise, and to our way of thinking is the foundation on which all personal development is constructed. Possessing high character does not necessarily excuse all other faults; and having less than stellar character does not completely negate other important qualities, but being honorable in word and deed serves as a solid base on which to build a life.

Honor is both a powerful word and a powerful concept that is used in a wide variety of situations and can mean lots of different things to lots of different people. The truth is that what honor means to a second grader might be entirely different than what honor means to a faculty member or a parent… or, in fact, it may not. At any grade level or any age, in its purest and simplest form, honor is simply adhering to what is right.

Everyday life can both test and forge honor within a person, and there are doubtless opportunities for both in our children’s lives here at Frederica. But it is often a crisis or even a great crisis that reveals honor in its highest form, and learning from other’s stories is crucial part of our own development.

Two simple anecdotes involving the now infamous crisis of the Titanic will be instructive for our students and your children as they think about and continue to define the role of honor in their young lives. The Titanic disaster provided many examples of both craven behavior (as with a man dressing in women’s clothing to enter a lifeboat prioritized for women and children), and great dignity in the face of disaster. A pair of the anecdotes illustrating dignity and high character involved two families, the Astors and the Strauses.

John Jacob Astor was one of the richest men in America. When it came time to abandon ship, he and a steward lifted his pregnant wife into a lifeboat, and Mr. Astor insisted that she go. Then he asked if he could join his wife in the lifeboat, but a ship’s officer said no. Mr. Astor walked politely away without arguing that a man of his station deserved special treatment, or bribing the officer, or otherwise behaving in any unseemly manner.

Mrs. Straus, who was on a retirement trip with her husband, climbed into a lifeboat but then climbed back out. She went to her husband and told him, “We have been living together for many years; where you go, I go.”

One can assume that the strength of character shown in these two different circumstances was not built by a lifetime spent cutting in line or otherwise wallowing in self-absorption. Building a core of integrity and strong character begins when one is young, and a primary goal of an FA education is to provide positive role models, curricular and extracurricular support, and unfailing reinforcement for the development of strong character and honorable behavior in our students during their formative school-age years.

Respectfully,

Scott L. Hutchinson
Head of School
This Week at FA

VOLUNTEER NEEDS THIS WEEK

Monday
School Holiday (Labor Day)

Tuesday @ 10:00 AM
Upper School Assembly
FA Gymnasium

Tuesday @ 4:00 PM
Middle School Volleyball
@ Heritage Christian

Tuesday @ 5:00 PM
Varsity Volleyball
@ Heritage Christian

Wednesday @ 1:05 PM
Humane Society Teen Board Meeting
Athletic Tent

Wednesday @ 4:00 PM
US Faculty Meeting

Wednesday @ 5:00 PM
Middle School Tennis
vs. St. Mary's @ CCGA

Wednesday @ 5:30 PM
Baseball Meeting
MS + US Baseball Families
Shuman Conference Room

Thursday
US Drop/Add Deadline

Thursday
Q1 Progress Period Ends

Thursday @ 4:00 PM
Booster Club Board Meeting

Thursday @ 6:00 PM
Middle School Football Game
@ Home vs. St. Andrews

Friday (All Day)
(40-Minute Classes)

Friday (All Day)
Schoolwide Spirit Day

Friday @ 8:10 AM
Lower School Morning Meeting
FA Gymnasium

Friday @ 10:00 AM
Senior Class Meeting
Corn Hall Steps

Friday @ Lunch
Kona Ice Truck

Friday @ 2:20 PM
Schoolwide Pep Rally (K-12)
Football Bleachers

Friday @ 7:30 PM
Varsity Football Game
@ Home vs. Tiftarea

Saturday
ACT Exam at FA
A Message from Nurse Pope
Dear FA Families,

These can be challenging time for parents of school-age children to sort through both the sundry assortment of facts and data related to the pandemic and to appreciate and discern the difference between fact and opinion in these matters.

In support of parents who have specific questions related to the ongoing Delta Variant pandemic or anything Covid-related, the school has established a small panel of FA parent health care professionals to assist me in addressing these questions.

The health care professionals who have volunteered to help are highly knowledgeable regarding the Covid virus as well as the most up-to-date research related to it and include: Dr. Bonnie Brooks, Dr. Steve Hoover, Dr. Misty Leigh Williams, and Julianne Temple, a pediatric nurse practitioner. If anyone has a specific question that they would like an answer to from any of these health care advisors, please feel free to contact me in the days and weeks ahead.

Below are a few reminders about our Covid protocols:

  • As Covid numbers in our community rise, please keep your student at home if they have any symptoms. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding symptoms.

  • Staff and students who do not have proof of a positive Covid test within the past 90 days, even if they were a "presumed positive," will be required to quarantine if named as a primary contact to a Covid positive individual.

  • Per CDC guidelines, we do not accept positive antibody tests as proof of immunity.  

Warmest regards,

Nikki Pope BS RNC BSN
Frederica Academy School Nurse
200 Murray Way
Saint Simons Island GA 31522
912 638 9981 x 492
Knights Table Menu
WEDNESDAY
FA Baseball Family Meeting
FRIDAY
Special MS + US Class Schedule
FRIDAY
Spirit Day + Pep Rally
FRIDAY
Kona Ice Day
FRIDAY
Varsity Home Football Game
SATURDAY
9/11 20th Anniversary
Sixth Grade students are currently reading the novel Ground Zero by Alan Gratz in Mrs. Howell's English class. Gratz has crafted a story that teaches its readers about the devastating September 11, 2001, attack on The World Trade Center and a young life caught between the Taliban and the American forces in Afghanistan on September 11, 2019.

Mrs. Howell's students have also discussed that after the 9/11 tragedy, many Americans wanted to help those families directly affected by the attacks. New York pop artist Peter Max wished to honor the lost firefighters through his visual art. He painted several pieces and donated all of the proceeds to benefit the families of lost firefighters. Each Sixth Grade student created his or her interpretation of Lady Liberty in class and taped a 'We will never forget' card to the back of each drawing. Mailed to Ladder Company 3 in Manhattan, the artwork was used to express appreciation for those willing to risk it all in service of others.
SEPTEMBER 13
LS After-School Programs
The Fall Session of Lower School After-School Programs for students in PK-4 will start the week of September 13 and run for six weeks ending the week of October 18. Any make-up sessions required will be held the week of October 25.

Please use the button below to access the registration form. Completed forms and payments are due no later than Friday, September 10. Email Heather Day should you have questions or need assistance.
Junior Knights Cheer Club - We are excited to introduce the Junior Knights Cheer Club! Our junior cheerleaders will learn FA cheers led by some of our FA varsity cheerleaders and Valerie Dunn. They will debut their cheers at the Middle School home football game on September 30th. The Junior Knights Cheerleaders will continue to cheer with our Knights Kickball Club and at our Lower School Morning Meetings. Cheerleaders will be provided with their very own FA Bows and FA Pom Poms. Participants will be asked to purchase a cheerleading uniform from the FA Booster Club. Go Knights!

Kickball Club - Lower School will be creating its own Kickball Club this fall! Students will have loads of fun as Coach Roberts teaches them how to play the game and be a great team player. Participants will be divided into kickball teams to debut their new kickball talents. The kickball games will be held on October 4, October 11, and October 18, as our Junior Knights cheer them on. Parents are invited to attend these games.

Creative Creations - Do you love art? At creative creations, participants will use recycled materials to turn trash into treasure. They will explore a variety of ways to build, paint, and create hands-on pictures and sculptures. It is sure to be a blast!

Everybody Loves PE - Need we say more?

Chess - We are so glad to have our Chess Club back on campus! If you love the game of chess or are interested in learning, we invite you to join us as in this camp!

Robotics - In our new Lower School Robotics Club, students will have the chance to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math concepts in a fun and exciting way. Participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of computer programming and will use their robots to solve problems, play games, and have lots of fun!

Puzzling with Pruitt - Do you love puzzles? If so, this club is for you! In Puzzling with Pruitt, students will unplug and unwind while puzzling with Mrs. Pruitt. They will also learn how to create and perfect their own puzzle.

Kayak Club - If your child loves the water, this is the perfect club! Southeast Adventure Outfitters will teach participants how to kayak, fish, and go crabbing. Be sure to bring a change of clothes that can get wet!

Mini Motions - Our new Mini Motions Clubs (PK and K-1) are designed especially for students in our lower grades. In this club, participants will join dance instructor Anna Martin to participate in making creative motions through the use of hip hop and tumbling. It is sure to be a fun time! 
SEPTEMBER 14
MS Soccer Meeting
New Student Council Members
Congratulations to the following freshmen, who were recently elected to represent their class on this year's Student Council!
Jordan Lee
Kaitlyn Sunderhaus
Trey Walbridge
US Service Council Leadership
Kate Walbridge
President
Cammie Pope
Vice President
Congratulations to these Upper School students for recently being elected to serve as this year's Service Council Leadership.
Merrill Been
Secretary
Chandler Sitz
Senior Representative
Ryann Hankey
Junior Representative
Lily Najawicz
Sophomore Representative
Audrey Shingler
Freshman Representative
Mackenzie Todd
Member-at-Large Representative
FA Health + Wellness Club
The FA Health and Wellness Club had its first official 2021-2022 meeting on August 30.

Officers introduced themselves and discussed future projects. September projects include partnering with the FA varsity cheerleaders to serve dinner to the three Saint Simons fire stations on Thursday, September 9th, in honor of the twentieth anniversary of 9/11. September is also suicide prevention month. Look for upcoming activities sponsored by the club regarding this important topic.

Click here to follow the FA Health and Wellness Club on Instagram.
Third Grade Reading Lesson
Last week, Third Grade students examined how Williams Stiegs' word choices and illustrations in Amos and Boris reveal the central message to the reader. 
Second Grade Fundations
Second Grade students enjoyed playing games in Fundations last week. These games reinforced concepts such as identifying blends and digraphs, which students have been working on in their first Fundations unit. Students also enjoyed participating in a Go Noodle video that reinforced syllables! 
Kindergarten Friday Fun
Kindergarten had fun on Friday with their Word Building and Marshmallow Building projects.
Pre-K Mystery Reader
Last week’s Pre-K Mystery Reader was Adelina Reyes’ mom, Natasha Vasquez. She made everyone laugh as she read, The Book With No Pictures, by BJ Novak.
FA Fall Athletic Schedules
VARSITY
MIDDLE SCHOOL
September Calendar
September 12
FA Parent Association
Poinsettia + Greenery Sale Begins

September 13-16
ERB Testing (Grades 5-7)

September 14-16
ERB Testing (Grades 2-4)

September 14 @ 9:50 PM
First + Last Ceremony
First Grade + Seniors
Students + Parents
Gym

September 14 @ 3:45 PM
Middle School Soccer Meeting
Shuman Conference Room

September 16 @ 10:00 AM
University of Miami

September 18
FA Cross Country Invitational

September 20 @ 1:00 PM
Lehigh University

September 21
ERB Testing (Grades 2-4)

September 22 @ 8:00 AM
FA Parent Association Meeting
Shuman Conference Room

September 23 @ 6:30 PM
FA Board of Visitors Reception

September 24 @ 8:30 AM
FA Board of Visitors Meeting

September 29 @ 1:00 PM
Wofford College

September 30 @ TBD
Senior Group + Superlative Photos
FA Social Media