NCA Weekly Newsletter

Deecmber 5, 2025

Greetings NCA Families,

We hope that you all enjoyed the Thanksgiving break! This week, our girls middle school basketball team extended their unbeaten streak to 3-0 this season; congratulations to our lady Patriots!

We thank you for supporting the NCA Book Fair, and please remember that the fair ends on Tuesday, December 9th. We hope that if you’ve not yet had your scholar purchase their wish list items, that you do so before Tuesday’s close.

Prior to our upcoming winter break in just a few weeks, there are several important announcements for all families:

We are aware of the CBS News report that was aired this week. In that piece it showed images and information about NCA in relation to Optima Education. Please note: Naples Classical Academy is no longer utilizing Optima as our charter management company. Our school is managed solely by our school board and the head of school. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.

Founder’s Day Event – Tuesday, December 9th, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Please see the Founder’s Day information, noted below, and we hope that you can attend our 5th year event and family picnic.
Important Note: scholars will not be released early from their classes following the event, and we ask that you please plan accordingly. Thank you.

NCA Christmas Concert – Saturday, December 13th, 4:00 PM, at Barron Collier High School

We are excited to hear our 3rd – 12th grade scholars perform the songs they have been working on in their music classes over the last several months.
Parents: please ensure that your scholar is properly dressed for this event, using the approved dress guidelines, noted further below in the newsletter. Also, please note the arrival time for your child(ren.)

Enrollment for the 2026-2027 School Year is NOW OPEN!

Please use the following link to register your scholar for next school year, and reserve your child’s seat within our school community!
See additional info below and visit https://naplesclassical.schoolmint.com/login

Parent Volunteers on December 19th

We appreciate ALL of our parent volunteers! All parents must be on the approved volunteer list to come and help within the classrooms. If you have not completed the annual volunteer process, you must do so in advance. If you were an approved volunteer during a previous year, you must still reapply for the current school year at https://naplesclassical.org/become-a-volunteer/
Arrival Time: 11:00 AM
Scholar/Volunteer Dismissal: 12:00 PM
Due to the abundance of volunteers, and to help with the number of parents on-campus, we are limiting the number of parent volunteers per classroom to two adults.
Please see the teacher newsletters on how to register to volunteer this year, or contact your scholar’s teacher.
We understand that this is change from previous years, and this is to help with the volume of adults in the hallways/classes/main office.
If you are unable to volunteer at/for this event, we hope to see you at Founder’s Day, or at one of the four Poetry & Prose events.

We thank you for being part of our school community, and we look forward to our two great weeks prior to the winter break.

Sincerely,

Mr. Wester

Head of School

Upcoming Events

December 2-9

Ignatius Book Fair

Parents: 12/2-12/5, 12/8 from 4:30-6PM

Online Link

December 9

PTC Founders Day Picnic, 11AM

Governing Board Meeting, 6PM

December 10

PTC Otis Fundraiser Item Pickup, 3:40-5:30PM

**See the Founder's Day Update Below**

December 13

Christmas Concert, 4PM

Tickets

December 15-19

Upper School Midterm Exams

December 15

Poetry & Prose, 2nd-3rd Grades, 8:15AM

December 16

Poetry & Prose, K-1st Grades, 8:15AM

December 17

Poetry & Prose, 4-5th Grades, 8:15AM

December 19

Early Release, 12PM

**BASE Scholars must bring a bagged lunch**

December 22-January 2

Winter Break, No School

January 5

Scholars Return to School

Please view our Events Calendar for all

upcoming events, sports matches and further details.

View Events Calendar Here

Our events calendar is constantly updated to be as accurate as possible. You can also go to the lower right under the calendar to subscribe to it on your preferred calendar system.

Upcoming FAST Testing Schedule

December 5, 2025 - EOC Retakes

December 9, 2025 - Grades 2 & 5 Reading

December 10, 2025 - Grades 1 & 4 Reading

December 11, 2025 - Grades K & 3 Reading

December 12, 2025 - 10th Reading Retake & EOC Retakes

December 15, 2025 - Make Ups

December 16, 2025 - Make Ups

December 17, 2025 - Make Ups

January 7, 2026 - 6-10th Reading

January 8, 2026 - Grades 6-8 Math

January 9, 2026 - Make Ups

January 13, 2026 - Grades 2 & 5 Math

January 14, 2026 - Grades 1 & 4 Math

January 15, 2026 - Grades K & 3 Math

January 16, 2026 - Make Ups

January 20-23, 2026 - Make Ups

Founder's Day

December 9, 2025

11AM-12:30PM

11:00-11:15AM: Arrival

Park in the side lot or the front grassy lot (see map below.)
Enter through the gate identified on the map.
Set up your picnic space in the Parent Seating Family Picnic area; families are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and lunch.
Parents must remain in this area for the duration of the program. Your child will join you after the presentation.

11:15-11:45AM: Founder's Day Program

Battle Hymn of the Republic (Glory Glory Hallelujah) - Mr. McDonald’s 5th grade class
Welcome from our PTC Co-Presidents

Reflecting on our Past

NCA’s Founding remarks by Board Chair, Mr. Mathias
Recitation of “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe - Ms. Prater’s 6th grade class

Rejoicing in our Present

Parent Speaker, Mr. Massey (Why I continue to choose NCA)
Teacher Speaker, Ms. Bakin
Senior Class President, Michael Bowden (What I’ve learned from NCA)

Celebrating our Future

NCA’s Future remarks by Head of School, Mr. Wester
Closing instructions by our PTC

11:45AM-12:15PM: Scholars join families for picnic

K-2nd grade parents: Retrieve your scholar from their teacher (see map for grade level location).
3rd-12th grade parents: Your scholar will be released to locate you; parents remain in the family picnic area.
If your scholar needs a school lunch, see map for cafeteria lunch pickup location; the cafeteria line will be available for scholars that do not bring lunch, but it will be a bagged lunch instead of a hot lunch.

12:15-12:30PM: Scholars return back to their teachers

NOTE: Scholars are not permitted to leave with their parents. This is not an early release day.
Scholars must return back to their class assigned location for cookies.
Parents exit through the same gate used during entry.
Please ensure to collect all your belongings, and that your picnic area is free from trash.

FUNDRAISER UPDATE

A Message from your PTC:

Because of the complexities of frozen food transport and storage, and the busy time of year for shipping companies, we were recently notified that the Otis fundraiser products will not be available for pickup after Founders Day or that afternoon. The products will arrive the following day, Wednesday, December 10th.

Please plan to stop in the grassy front lot AFTER carline dismissal on Wednesday (12/10) afternoon.

You may wish to bring a cooler if you or your supporters purchased frozen items. For parents picking scholars up from BASE or other after school activities, PTC volunteers will remain there until 5:30 p.m.

Thank you for your support, and enjoy those cookies!

Re-Enroll Here

All online orders placed during the book fair dates (12/2-12/9) will quality for free shipping to the school AND earn free books for the school's classroom libraries. When signing up for ordering online, be sure to select NCA!

Families are welcome to stop by after school from 4:30-6PM to shop our in-school book fair on these dates: December 2nd-5th, and December 8th.

Scholars may also bring in their wish lists with payment information during their class visit, as well. If you still need a wish list template, download one here.

How does the book fair benefit our school? Watch here.

Don't forget to follow the steps to sign up your child for a book fair account. Follow these steps here.

NCA Bookstore Link

It is with great excitement that we anticipate our upcoming Christmas concert, and being able to share with you the beautiful things your children have been learning in their music classes.

Nota bene: For upper school scholars, attendance at the concert is expected, and their mid-term grade will be partially based on their participation in the concert. If your child is unable to make it, please contact your child’s teacher, as an alternate assignment will be provided. For lower school, grades will not be affected, but attendance is strongly encouraged.

Please review the details below, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the Music Department Team if you have any questions.

Reserve your family's tickets here.

Date: Saturday, December 13, 2025

Concert Venue: Barron Collier High School (5600 Cougar Dr, Naples, FL 34109)

Concert Time: 4:00pm, doors open at 3:30pm

Grades 3-5*

Call time: 3:30pm (Parent drop-off in designated classrooms)

Dress code: Formal attire (no jeans, sweatshirts/pants, holey clothing, hats, light-up elements)

Grade 6

Call time: 3:30pm (parent drop-off in designated classrooms)

Dress code (no shorts, sweatpants/shirts, jeans, cargo pants or t-shirts)

Girls: White blouse, black dress pants/skirt, black shoes
Boys: White dress shirt, black dress pants, black shoes/socks

Grades 7-8

Call time: 3:10pm in auditorium-rehearsal will start promptly at 3:10!

Dress code: See below (no shorts, sweatpants/shirts, jeans, cargo pants or t-shirts)

Girls: White blouse, black dress pants/skirt, black shoes
Boys: White dress shirt, black dress pants, black shoes/socks

High School

Call time: 2:40pm in auditorium-rehearsal will start promptly at 2:40!

Dress code: Concert black (knees and shoulders must be covered, no shorts, jeans or cargo pants)

Girls: Black dress or black dress shirt and pants/skirt, black shoes
Boys: Black dress shirt and black dress pants, black shoes/socks; black jacket and tie are encouraged, but not required

Following the concert, scholars may be picked up in the same location where they were dropped off.

Blessings,

NCA Music Department Team

Ms. Prater, Music Department Head, High School Music

tprater@naplesclassical.org

Ms. Batista, Middle School Music

jbatista@naplesclassical.org

Ms. Kircher, Lower School Music

skircher@naplesclassical.org

*Due to venue space limitations, grades K-2 will perform their Christmas songs during their Poetry and Prose in December.

Looking to Volunteer during a School Event?

All parent/guardian volunteers must be pre-approved ANNUALLY prior to volunteering for any school events. If you were approved for a previous year, you must still re-apply for the current year. See more details on the quick and easy process linked below.

How to Become an Approved CCPS Volunteer