Dear Parents and Friends of the Academy:   

On Friday, the 21st of September, the Academy celebrated the dedication of Centennial Plaza, marking the Academy's 100th year of service to young people and families from around the globe. It was a truly wonderful celebration that incorporated the children, faculty, parents, alumni and trustees. In addition to dedicating Centennial Plaza, we also honored Billy Moore, a graduate of Montverde Academy, whose mother, Lynne, manages our student center. Billy passed away in a vehicular accident which ended his life very prematurely. Billy was a wonderful young man, and it was fitting that those who loved and knew Billy donated generously toward the fountain at the center of the Centennial Plaza.  Lastly, we also recognized International Peace Day by participating in pinwheels for peace. Our art department at all divisions worked together with the students to create pinwheels which decorated the area around Centennial Plaza. I want to thank all of those who participated in the dedication. . .Centennial Plaza will be here for decades of students to enjoy.

This being my first newsletter to you of the school year, allow me to recap a few things that were accomplished over the summer or are currently in progress.     

• Two new classrooms were built in the fine arts building comfortably serving up to 28 students.
• A ceramics/crafts studio was built in the Fine Arts building.
• An instructional technology lab was created for faculty in the fine arts building, supervised by our full-time instructional technology coordinator, Anissa Labrador.  All faculty are in the process of completing a technology rubric under Anissa's direction allowing us to survey the capabilities of each faculty member from which an action plan will be composed to assist all faculty in their knowledge of available technology and its implementation into classroom instruction. It is our objective to be sure that all faculty have a solid working knowledge of all instructional technology and are capable and effectively implementing it into classroom.   
• As part of our instructional technology initiatives, the Academy is piloting iPads at all three division levels. An instructor at each division level was chosen to participate in this project, and the Academy will be implementing the use of iPads into instruction on a regular basis, allowing us to appropriately assess proper implementation initiatives that will serve our instructional needs and also give us the information on how best to provide professional development for faculty for future expanded implementation of iPads. At present, digital textbooks are available by "some" publishers, and we are eager to implement digital textbooks; however, we do not want to be forced to choose curriculum based only on what is available in digital format. Many publishers are still in the process of implementation of digital textbooks which will make that an ongoing process as agreements are reached between publishers and companies such as Apple on the release of digital textbooks as the associated costs.
• As Mr. Ross has indicated in his portion of the newsletter, several new courses are being offered this year, including several additional Advanced Placement courses.  Our Advanced Placement program has grown in the number of courses offered bringing the total number of AP courses offered at Montverde Academy to 27.  What is more important to us is how our students are scoring on AP exams. This past year, our passing rate (a 3 or better) was nearly 80%, meaning with 58% scoring a 4 or 5; those percentages well exceed the national and state averages.
• Our television production courses are moving along well under the direction of Media Arts Director, Steve Gilbert. Every week in assembly the MVA Today show is aired for the student body and you, too, can view if for yourself at www.montverde.net.
• In addition to the completion of Centennial Plaza, the Academy is completing several flooring and painting projects in various dormitories and classroom buildings in an effort to keep the condition of our facilities in presentable fashion.
• Both Lower School playgrounds received attention over the summer. The larger playground received new landscaping, trees, and fencing. The rear playground received new drainage, landscaping and rubber mulch. To quote one Lower School student when asked about the rubber mulch, "I love it, it's bouncy!"  
• Some might ask Why do we need another gym? The answer you might expect has more to do with our nationally recognized basketball program; however, the truth is that the Academy now serves 25 athletic teams not including some Middle School programs. There are only two locker rooms in the Robert's gymnasium with lockers and shower facilities built to accommodate approximately 20 athletes each.  With more than 570 students in our upper school alone, the facility is grossly inadequate to properly serve the student body we now serve. The new facility will provide lockers and shower facilities to accommodate more than 300 athletes in the same competitive season. Athletic gear, currently having to be brought to school for day students or stored in dormitories for boarding students, can now be stored safely and securely in the new facility. With appropriate semi-private shower facilities, students will have the ability to shower after practices or workouts before returning home or to classes, depending on the time of day. In addition, there will be a classroom in the new athletic center which will free up classroom space for us in other areas of campus. The court space will allow us to hold multiple practices concurrently which will allow us to not have to have teams come back at night to hold practices. With the size of our school currently at 973, there is no one single place on the campus large enough to hold a convocation of the entire school.  Since this facility seats 1,500, it will provide a space for us to do that.  Some might also ask Is my tuition paying for that? Knowing that not all students have an interest in athletics, we take seriously when and how we allocate recourse to the campus. In the past 14 years of my tenure, more allocation of resources has been placed on classrooms and technology than on athletics. The Academy has built three new classroom buildings (Conrad Lehman, The Dewitt Center for Teaching and Learning and The Stephens Media and Performing Arts Center), this does not include the addition of 10 additional classrooms created; one in the MacKenzie Building loft, two in the Kreke Science Building, four in the Library, not including the language lab, and three in the existing fine arts building. The Academy carries no debt with the exception of the bond that was floated to finance the construction of the new Athletic Center. The bond debt will be serviced from returns on the Academy's endowment. Between fundraising initiatives and debt service plans, the Academy plans to exhaust the debt within 6-8 years. The completion of the Athletic Center is anticipated in early November.
• The Academy completed the self-evaluation process for our re-accreditation last school year. We are in the process of editing the final report and will plan for the visiting team in February 2013. The Academy is again seeking accreditation from the Florida Council of Independent Schools, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, The Southern Association of Independent Schools and the Florida Kindergarten Council. Montverde Academy is one of only two school in the state of Florida to have earned a quad accreditation. While the process is labor intensive, we feel a responsibility to place the weight of the all four accrediting agencies behind our diploma for the benefit of our students. 

As we enter into the month of October, our Centennial Gala is now only a matter of weeks away. The event will be a time for the school community to come together to celebrate the achievements and sustainability of Montverde Academy for 100 years;  

I hope you will join us for this historic occasion.

In the meantime, I look forward to seeing you soon! 

Dr. Kasey C. Kesselring

Headmaster

Opening Day

On Tuesday, August 21, the Upper School opened the 2012-13 school year with an enrollment of 557 students with students from 49 different nations. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the school's founding, so this special and momentous occasion in our school's history will certainly be an exciting time to celebrate, rejoice and reflect on the impact that our institution has had in the local community.

Tribute to Ms. Ruth Schaeffer

In early June, all of Montverde Academy was saddened to learn that Ms. Ruth Schaeffer had lost her long on-going battle with cancer and passed away at her home. Ms. Schaeffer came to Montverde in 2001 when she joined Mr. John Cooke in building our Progressive English program that we now have in place today. 

Ms. Ruth Schaeffer

She was an effective teacher who cared deeply about how well and how quickly her students were learning English. Ms. Schaeffer also took great pride in sponsoring MVA's National Honor Society Chapter and enjoyed teaching students how to serve their fellow man and was very instrumental in organizing and promoting many community service projects with them. At a church service in July that was held at St. Luke's Methodist, many Montverde Academy faculty members and administrators paid their respects and tribute to her, and then, in early September, both MVA students, faculty and friends attended a memorial service for her at Montverde's First Baptist Church. She will be remembered by her students from over a decade for her dedication, perseverance and patience in teaching them English.

Campus Improvements

Centennial Plaza in the center of the school's circle was dedicated on Friday, Sept. 21 during a morning ceremony in which the whole school attended. While Dr. Kesselring proclaimed the Centennial Celebration and cut the ribbon to open the plaza and fountain, international students representing their nations also raised their national flags on the multitude of flag poles that encircle the inner side of our campus.

Stephens Fine Arts Center Classrooms

The former dance studio in the Stephens Fine Arts Center was redesigned into three new classrooms and our technology education office which allowed a few more Upper School teachers to have their own classrooms.    

Athletic Center

The new athletic center is currently under construction and should be completed for use by mid-year. In addition to basketball courts, the center will include additional office space, locker rooms for our athletic teams and a larger weight training facility.

New Courses

The Upper School has added several new courses that are available to our students:

English: Journalism

Mathematics: Statistics

Science: Primate Zoology, Genetics and Biochemistry

Social Studies: AP Human Geography, AP Psychology, AP Microeconomics and Sociology

Foreign Language: Chinese III

Fine Arts: Ceramics, Crafts, Improvisational Acting and One Act Production

Technology: Web Design

Media Arts: TV Studio Production, Videojournalism and Television Production.  

New Faces on the Upper School Faculty & Administration  

Mr. David Fuller, Dean of Students

Mr. Fuller had previously been the Dean of Students at the St. Marks School in the Boston area and he earned his B.S. degree from Webber University and his M.B.A. from Lynn University. Mr. Fuller's son, Roman, is a senior this year at MVA.

Mr. John Bragg, Journalism

Mr. Bragg comes to us from Murfreesboro, TN, where he was a columnist for the Murfreesboro Post newspaper. He earned his B.A. degree in English Literature at Rhodes College in Memphis and he is teaching Journalism, Creative Writing and is team-teaching our TV Studio Production course.

Mrs. Katherine Christian, Chemistry

Mrs. Christian teaches Chemistry, Chemistry-Honors, Biochemistry and AP Chemistry, having previously taught at the Westminster School in Atlanta, GA. She earned her B.S degree in Chemistry Education at Kennesaw State University.

Mr. Derrick Freeman, Business Studies

Mr. Freeman teaches Accounting, Marketing, Business Law and Algebra I, and earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration at Loyola College in Baltimore, MD. He is also a Certified Public Accountant and has become the lead teacher in our Business and Financial Management (BFM) Study-Area Concentration program.

Mr. Steve Gilbert, Media Arts

Mr. Gilbert heads our Media Arts program and teaches TV Field Production, Videojournalism and TV Studio Production. He earned his B.S., B.B.A and his M.B.A. degrees at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.  

Mrs. Ashley McCombes, Computer Science

Mrs. McCombes teaches Web Design as well as our Middle School computer courses after previously teaching in the Florida Virtual School and Ocoee High School. She earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Central Florida and her M.S. degree from National University in La Jolla, CA.

Mr. Tom Narducci, Progressive English

Mr. Narducci teaches Composition III and History III in our Progressive English program as well as U.S. History. He earned his B.A. degree at Stetson University and he is an Assistant Coach of our Volleyball team.

Mrs. Loula Parks, English

Mrs. Parks, daughter-in-law of Mrs. Bonnie Parks, is teaching English II and English II-Honors, and previously taught in the American School of Marrakesh in Morocco. She earned her B.A. in Literature at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

Ms. Rhonda Ross, Ceramics

Ms. Ross, sister of Mr. Roger Ross, is teaching Ceramics and Crafts after having been a teaching assistant for a few years in the Lower School. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Central Florida.

Mrs. Lori Treweek, U.S. Government

Mrs. Treweek joins her husband, Brian, on our staff after previously teaching at Lake Weir High School in Marion Co. She teaches Government, AP Psychology and AP Human Geography and earned her B.A. degree in Psychology at Emory & Henry College in Emory, VA.

Mr. Jeff Wexler, Progressive English

Mr. Wexler teaches Literature III and Composition III in our Progressive English program after teaching Creative Writing here last year. He earned his B.S.E degree from Millersville University and his M.S. degree from the University of Pennsylvania.  

Academic Team begins its season

On September 15, MVA competed in a 22-team field at the Ransom Everglades Academic Tournament in Coconut Grove, FL. Lacking its seniors who were at the Senior Retreat, the underclassmen went up against teams from Palm Beach, Broward and Dade Counties, with the top eight with the best records advancing to the single elimination championship rounds. Montverde Academy's A-team, with a preliminary record of 4-3, placed 9th out of the 22 teams and just barely missed qualifying. The B-team, composed of 9th grade students, some of whom were competing in their very first tournament ever, finished with an 0-7 record but gained much experience in the competition. Out of 101 students participating, Hans Hanley, was the 11th highest scorer in the tournament.

A-Team PRELIMINARY MATCHES Results  

MATCH #1            Montverde Academy A                 330    

Chaminade Madonna HS F          15

MATCH #2            Montverde Academy A                 320    

Pines Charter School C               105

MATCH #3            School for Advanced Studies B    220    

Montverde Academy A                  195

MATCH #4            Montverde Academy                     235    

Ransom Everglades School D     130

MATCH #5            Montverde Academy                     250  

Chaminade Madonna HS B          230

MATCH #6            Chaminade Madonna HS D          260    

Montverde Academy                     135

MATCH #7            Westminster Christian School     330  

Montverde Academy                     135

A-Team PRELIMINARY RECORD:   4 WINS / 3 LOSSES

B-Team PRELIMINARY RECORD:   0 WINS / 7 LOSSES

MVA A-Team Participants: Hans Hanley, Dylan Tyer, Skylar Knight and Jake Carter

MVA B-Team Participants: Christy Morrison, Imani Doyle and Dalia Ismail

SAC (Study Area Concentration) Programs

We are in our fourth year of our SAC programs and we currently have 79 students enrolled in our five diploma programs. This optional diploma program has been developed for the student who has already identified a concentrated study area of interest that could lead to determining their major field of study in college or future career path. Montverde Academy has developed a comprehensive study plan or curriculum in five major concentrations that charts important college-preparatory courses over the four years of high school, beginning with Grade 9, that will lead to a specialized diploma in the following areas:

1)STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

For those who seek careers in physical sciences such as Chemistry and Physics, Computer Science and Graphics, Architecture, Engineering and fields involving high competency in mathematics. There are currently 26 students enrolled and the head teachers are Mr. Matthew Parets and Ms. Staci Babykin.

2)PHS (Pre-Professional Health Sciences)

For those who are interested in Pre-Med, Pre-Vet, Pre-Dental and Pharmaceutical professions as well as careers in Wellness, Health or life sciences such as Biology, Anatomy and Ecology. There are currently 22 students enrolled and the head teachers are Mr. Phil Prescott and Mr. Tim Layden.

3)VPA (Visual and Performing Arts)

For those who wish to showcase their talent, mastery and experience in vocal arts, piano, instrumental music, theater or the visual and creative arts. There are currently 16 students enrolled and the head teacher is Mr. Aubrey Connelly and he is assisted by Mr. Adrian Ahern and Ms. Trish O'Donnell.

4)BFM (Business and Financial Management)

For those who will enter the business or financial world, want to become a global entrepreneur, financial consultant, business accountant or a corporate executive.

There are currently seven students enrolled and the head teacher is Mr. Derrick Freeman.

5)GP (Global Perspectives)

For those who are interested in an international career involving pre-law, advertising, creative writing, education, journalism, library science, public relations, civil service, public service, social service, government, politics and counseling. There are currently eight students enrolled and the head teachers are Dr. Arghyris Arghyrou and Mr. Troy Urquhart.

PSAT Workshop

On Saturday, October 13, Mr. John Storey will conduct a mandatory PSAT Workshop in the Fine Arts Auditorium from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. for all 9th grade students (except students who are in Levels I and II of Progressive English) and any new 10th and 11th grade students. He will go over the testing format, give sample questions and discuss strategies for answering test questions correctly. This workshop is very important because students in Grades 9-11 will take the PSAT test during Per. 1-5 on Wednesday, Oct. 17, and juniors who score highly have an opportunity to qualify for a National Merit Scholarship from the College Board. The PSAT is the preliminary SAT test and is a very accurate indicator for how students will perform on the actual SAT I test.

End of Grading Period #1

Thursday, October 11, marks the end of the first grading period. Report cards will be viewable to students and parents on NET Classroom the following week.

Roger Ross 

Dean of Upper School   

Greeting from the Director of College Counseling - Felecia Williams

We are happy to report that the Class of 2013 is off to a great start! During the annual Senior Retreat, which was held last weekend in Vero Beach, all were reminded of important deadlines and other significant college information pertaining to the application process. A PowerPoint presentation entitled Navigating College Admissions: What's Next for the Class of 2013 was shown in order to illustrate each step of the college application process for seniors during the fall semester. Feel free to email us if you would like a copy!

SAT and ACT Registration is underway for those seniors who were unable to fulfill our requirement of having taken two SAT and two ACT examinations. Those who were missing one or more exams have been scheduled to sit for the upcoming exams. It is critical that we have scores from both exams as both tests are used in the admissions process for most colleges and universities.

A word about the SAT Subject Tests...all students are encouraged to consider taking one or more subject tests during their junior or senior year. These are one hour tests that permit students to demonstrate their knowledge and achievement in specific subject areas. More importantly, students can include these tests in their college admission packets which help colleges have a better understanding of their abilities in specific subject areas. Some colleges or universities will require students to take subject tests, hence the importance in ensuring that students are aware of admission requirements.

October 1, 2012 is the deadline for all seniors to inform me about which six colleges or universities they are planning to apply to. This measure is in place to encourage students to begin researching their colleges and to take the necessary steps toward filing applications. They can begin researching schools via their Naviance accounts, which they were told about during the Senior Retreat. An additional website that we encourage students to utilize is:  https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/. Both offer excellent opportunities to research colleges and universities according to things that they desire.

Please note that all seniors are required to apply to at least six colleges and/or universities before we depart for the Thanksgiving holiday and November 9, 2012 is the day that we are asking for all applications to be complete. This ensures that their application packages are mailed to colleges and universities in a timely fashion, especially since many deadlines occur in the months of December and January.

On Thursday, October 11, we will be taking the entire senior class off campus to Valencia Community College for a college fair where there will be over one hundred colleges and universities from across the U.S. This is always a fantastic opportunity for our students to be able to speak directly to admissions representatives about the admissions process, types of majors offered and other important topics related to college life. We will depart for the fair at 5:00 p.m. and return to campus by 9:00 p.m.

Those seniors who are Florida residents and who are applying for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program should refer to the following website for important changes and updates:

http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/ 

Several changes have been made to this program and as a result, we will be monitoring all Florida residents who will be applying to colleges and universities in Florida.

Since the start of the school year, we have been meeting with seniors to discuss their college lists and any questions or problems that they are encountering. We are also available to meet with parents, and we encourage you to contact us if your child is a senior and you have questions during the college application process.

The juniors, sophomores and freshmen will all be taking the PSAT (Preliminary SAT) on Wednesday, October 17, 2012. PSAT Study Guides were distributed to all students during the Advisory period last Wednesday. Freshmen and sophomores will also be taking the PLAN, (which is a college readiness program that prepares students to take the ACT) on Monday, November 5, 2012. Both are very important tests, which provide important feedback about students' performance. All students are encouraged to do their best.

Other exciting news includes the continuation of our "College Counseling 101" course, which enables us to share with juniors various topics like resume writing, finding the right college, college interviews, essay writing, financial aid, etc. The goal is to get them started early so that the admissions process is easier when they become seniors. If your child did not get scheduled into this class this semester, he/she will likely take the class next semester. It is held in conjunction with the SAT Prep Course.

Please note that on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at 6 p.m. in the library, we will be conducting a parent information session for all parents of juniors. Please contact one of us directly to RSVP for this informative meeting which will include representatives from Sylvan, Bright Futures and one of our local universities.

Other things that we do to equip students with the information that they need for college admissions is to stay abreast of changes going on with the Florida state colleges and universities. Each year we hear loud and clear the importance of conveying to our students to apply early to the public universities due to the increase in applications at all of the state colleges. As a result, we will be communicating to any senior interested in applying to the state schools in Florida to apply by November 1, 2012.

The Class of 2015 will be going off campus to experience the "Sophomore College Experience". Details regarding this trip are forthcoming. In the past we have taken the sophomores to Rollins College, UCF, UF, Stetson, University of Tampa, and University of South Florida to name a few. The goal behind these early campus visits is to expose our younger students to a large public university and to a small private university.

So, as you can see, Sue Tortora, Debbie Strickland and I are all busy here at Montverde Academy! Sue will be working with all of our athletes and helping to ensure that they qualify for the NCAA and/or NAIA. Additionally, she will serve as the college counselor for all of our student athletes and work closely with coaches on both the high school and college side. At the retreat last weekend, she met with all of our senior athletes and gave them a packet of information to get started. If your child is a senior and planning to play sports in college, please encourage him/her to schedule an individual appointment with Ms. Tortora as soon as possible.

Although we are working hard to help the Class of 2013 present themselves in the best way possible, we also recognize that Montverde Academy is a college preparatory school and we are deeply committed to helping all of our students prepare for the college process. We do this by exposing our students to various colleges that visit our campus each week. Schools that have visited or will be visiting us this semester include, but are not limited to:

Florida State University

Guilford College

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Western New England University

Presbyterian College

University of South Florida

Birmingham Southern University

Berry College

University of Central Florida

Rollins College

University of Alabama

Johnson & Wales University

University of North Florida

Stetson University

Lynn University

Northeastern University

Jacksonville University

Southern Methodist University

SUNY Binghamton

University of Connecticut

Webber International University

University of Denver

Rice University

University of Rochester

All of our Upper School students are highly encouraged to attend these informative sessions and to speak to college representatives during these campus visits. Freshmen and sophomores who would like to attend these sessions must schedule an appointment prior to the college representative's arrival. Please see our school calendar to see the exact date and time that these visits will occur or contact one of us in the college office.

We hope that the information that we have provided has been helpful however, if at any time you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at (407) 469-2561. We can also be reached via email at Felecia.williams@montverde.org  or Sue.tortora@montverde.org or Debbie.strickland@montverde.org.

Thank you for your support and we look forward to helping your son/daughter navigate the college admissions process!

Felecia Williams

Felecia Williams

Director of College Counseling  

Dear Middle School Parents and Students,

Hope that your perspective of the start of the 2012-2013 school year is the same as mine . . . we are off to an excellent start! Students have come back after the summer vacation ready to apply themselves appropriately to the academic rigors associated with a college preparatory curriculum. We appreciate this type of focus and work ethic at Montverde Academy. Just as impressive is the citizenship of the students at the Middle School division. The behavior is such in the classrooms where teachers can teach and students can learn; that is the type of environment we expect at the Academy. Thank you for what you do at home to instill upon your daughter/son that they m-u-s-t focus, they m-u-s-t be engaged, they m-u-s-t put forth a good effort, and they m-u-s-t behave appropriately. You are doing an excellent job!

The student body has elected its Student Government Association officers and its class representatives for the 2012-2013 school year. The following members of our Middle School community are our SGA officers and class representatives:

                  President - Mackenzie Nailos                      Vice President - Cooper Rosario

                  Secretary - Alex Donnelly                            Treasurer - Olivia Young

                  6th grade representatives:                           Adeline Anthony, Bailey Bates,   
                                                                                       and Hunter Hopman

                  7th grade representatives:                           Natalie Carter, Mills Glass,
                                                                                       and Hunter Valada

                  8th grade representatives:                           Paris-Monet Bastian, Maya Rifai,
                                                                                       and Zach Shinn

The officers and the representatives have been very busy since being elected and they are helping to get things planned, organized, and implemented for the school year. This is a group of young people who are excellent leaders and who are going to make a positive difference in our Middle School community.

This school year, Mr. Delmolino made a decision that the Middle School Retreat would be replaced with daytime off-campus team building and educational field trips. The faculty and staff support my decision and I am sure after the students experience the scheduled trips/activities, plus the addition of a Halloween themed Middle School dance in October, they will find that these other events can be as fun and as rewarding as the retreat. The money that was charged to students' accounts for the Middle School Retreat will be used to cover the cost of the three off-campus trips which will be organized for each grade level. The students will be doing an exciting team building activity at the Florida Elks Youth Camp in Umatilla. We are very excited to have many activities planned throughout the year that will enhance the educational experience of all of the students within our school community.

Yours in education,

Warren Delmolino

Dean of the Middle School

from the Dean of Lower School - Meristell Shackelford

Dear Parents,      

The first month of the school year has gone exceptionally well! It is an exciting year to be a part of Montverde Academy as we celebrate the 10th year of the Lower School and the 100th year of Montverde Academy. Thank you for the privilege of educating your child(ren).

The world around us is constantly changing and as educators we have to be on the cutting edge of learning. This school year, the Lower School has made a few curricular changes to improve and assist the learning process. Our new social studies curriculum called myWorld is being implemented this school year. Through engaging, interactive digital technology, interactive student work texts and hands-on activities, students are able to attain meaningful understanding of the past, present and future. Another addition is a learning methodology called Thinking Maps. Thinking Maps are visual patterns for critical thinking skills. Each of the basic cognitive skills is connected to a visual. By learning the eight Thinking Maps, students will have concrete, visual representations of abstract, critical thinking skills. Students across all divisions at Montverde Academy are learning about Thinking Maps. Ask your child about a Double Bubble Map or a Circle Map and see what they say!

Thank you for attending the Lower School Grade Level Parent Nights. We appreciate you taking the time to learn about all that makes each grade level unique in the foundation of your child's learning. Through the partnership between school and home, Lower School students will have the support and understanding needed for them to achieve academic success. Our Enrichment Parent Night will take place on October 10th for grades Kindergarten through 5th grade. Please plan to attend to learn more about what your child will experience in Physical Education, Spanish, Art, Music, Library, Drama and Technology.  

Please do not forget to reference the Lower School Handbook regarding policies and procedures relating to Lower School. The LS Handbook is located in your child's agenda for grades 1st through 5th and a copy was given to parents of students in grades Pre-K3, Pre-K4 and Kindergarten at the Teacher Meet and Greet, on August 15th. The handbook is also accessible on the www.montverde.net website under the parent section.

Thank you for your support,

Meristell M. Shackelford
Dean of the Lower School

from the Admission Office - Mr. Jon Hopman 

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Jon Hopman 

Assistant Headmaster, Dean of Admission & Financial Aid

from the Dean of International Student Development - Ian Smith  

Over the summer, the Montverde Academy family lost one of its most accomplished and revered teachers. Ruth Schaeffer was a lifelong educator and mentor to generations of students. She brought to her career a level of devotion and professionalism that was an inspiration to all who worked with her. Even during the most difficult days of her illness her commitment to education never flagged. As we begin a new school year, her memory and example will guide us as we all try to be the best teachers we can be.

The Progressive English faculty would like to welcome Tom Narducci. Tom Narducci has already been with Montverde Academy for one year serving as a dorm parent and a substitute teacher. He has a degree from Stetson University in education and social sciences, with a minor in religious studies. He brings to his new position experience teaching Middle School history as well as ESL in Montverde Academy's Summer English Language Camp. He will be joining Jeff Wexler in Level III, where he will be teaching Composition and History III. Our returning teachers are Stephanie Foley (Level I), Jeanette Nederveen (Level I & II), Wes Fracker (Level I), and Rebecca Martinez (Level II).

Over the past month, 145 new international students were given the SLATE test, of which 84 tested into Progressive English, bringing our total enrollment for the fall semester to 118 students. As of this writing, Level I currently holds 20 students, Level II has 43, and Level III stands at 55 students. I am confident that many of these students will be advancing to more advanced English courses by the end of the semester.

The role of the Progressive English Department at Montverde Academy is more important than ever. Starting next year, all seniors will be required to pass English One in order to graduate. This new requirement reflects the continued strengthening of our academic programs as well as our commitment to high level English training. As always, our team will be at the front lines of this effort. The Chen Family Language Lab will also continue to play a significant role in our program this semester. We are thrilled to announce the implementation of Reading Assistant, an internet-based reading fluency program, from Scientific Learning. This new program, coupled with our frequent SLATE testing, will enable us to monitor our students' progress even better. In future editions of this newsletter, I will be publishing SLATE test results as well as data from our Reading Assistant program.

Sincerely, 

Ian Smith

Dean of International Student Development 

Kalena Meyers

Dean of Institutional Development  

Go Eagles!