"Spring Break Edition" - April 11, 2022
As our Students & Staff Enjoy a Well-Deserved Break this week, there will be no e-newsletter update at the end of this week
Holding the Arts Front & Center in a Classical Education
"We say arts education is good for general education, but that's not the point. The arts are what great nations are remembered for. They are a mirror." - Damian Woetzel

The Fine Arts holds a special place in classical education. This year’s National Symposium for Classical Education took up this theme, and Lake Lure Classical Academy was fortunate to have two of our own Fine Arts teachers, Mrs. Layne Long and Mr. Kevin Lampson, represent our academy at this conference in Phoenix, Arizona. 
The conference motto, “For the Love of Poiesis,” took its inspiration from the ancient Greek word Poiesis, which means “to make.” The keynote speakers were inspirational with their passionate pleas for providing students with the means to find beauty through the arts, as students experience poiesis, said Mrs. Long and Mr. Lampson.
Professor and performing artist, Anika Prather incorporated music, drama, and storytelling into her speech, modeling how to do the same in the classroom; and Professor Carol Reynolds amazed the audience with her piano playing, while strongly advocating for the arts as an essential component of education.
Mrs. Long and Mr. Lampson are looking forward to sharing what they learned with their colleagues, including how to incorporate the arts into lessons in any classroom. Inspired by the conference, they are also eager to remind us that the arts hold a special place in classical education because it is an indispensable means of developing character and virtue - goals at the heart of classical education. 
“We are grateful for the incredible experience and we're honored to represent Lake Lure Classical Academy,” commented Long and Lampson.  
Vote for our April Teacher of the Month
Your support for our teachers means a lot, so please take a minute to cast your vote here.

The Book Fair is Coming!
Our Spring Book Fair will open on Monday, April 18th at 8 am and continue through Friday, April 22nd at noon. You can shop ahead of time by visiting our Scholastic Online Site here.
April 11th -15th - Spring Break
April 18th - 22nd - Spring Book Fair
***There will be a Parent Night on Tuesday, April 18, from 3-6 pm. 
April 21st - Board of Directors Meeting, 4 pm (high school gathering room)
April 21st - Picture Day and Class Picture Day
April 30th - Junior and Senior Prom
May 27th - Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2022, 6 pm
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, COMPUTER SCIENCE CAMP, DISCOVERY ENGINEERING SUMMER CAMPS & A CAREER DAY WITH CALLIE THE CAREER CAT - CHECK IN WITH OUR SCHOOL COUNSELING SERVICES FOR ANOTHER WEEK OF INFORMATIVE UPDATES FOR PARENTS & STUDENTS!
From Ms. Powell, Ms. Sias & Ms. Kristin
First Grade Teacher, Kaitlin Brooks
Now in her 4th year, Mrs. Brooks is a 1st-grade teacher at LLCA. Prior to her time with the Raptors, Mrs. Brooks taught 1st-grade at Trinity Christian School for 3 years. Asked what she most loves about teaching at LLCA, she said, “I love teaching in an environment where everyone truly cares for one another and for the well-being of the students. The family-feel environment helps to really get to know each student personally."
Mrs. Brooks says that her favorite aspect of being an educator is seeing the amazing growth in children from the beginning to the end of the year
Her piece of advice for our students: “Never compare yourself to others. You are wonderfully created with a purpose!”
Fun fact: Mrs. Brooks is due in 4 weeks with her very first baby.
What are the students learning about these days: Mrs. Brooks' class recently took a trip to the Chimney Rock Gem Mine to see different forms of rocks & minerals to go along with their Listening and Learning unit.
Celebrating the Lady Behind all those Books!
We honored our librarian, Mrs. Betsy Clay, for National Librarian Week. She has been teaching for 9 years, with the last 4 years at  LLCA. When not teaching math or holding library classes, she serves as a yoga teacher at Rumbling Bald Resort. She loves to read, go for walks, and play with her golden retriever. 
Everything is just Ducky in 7th Grade Science
Our 7th grade science class has had a blast learning about cells, to organelles, to form organisms .... What does that mean? EGGS - BABY DUCKS
Middle School Students Give the New Ga-ga Pit a Double Thumbs Up!
Checking out Western Carolina University
This past Wednesday, our sophomores and juniors traveled over to Cullowhee, North Carolina to take a tour of Western Carolina University (WCU), one of the sixteen universities in the UNC System. WCU is one of four schools in the UNC system with the North Carolina Tuition Promise program, which promises a $500 per-semester tuition cost. After hearing a presentation on college admissions, students took a guided tour of the campus and learned about WCU’s academic programs, extracurricular activities, dining, and housing. Sophomore Jackson Laurita commented: "My first time at WCU was full of educational and physical adventure. We toured the beautiful campus of WCU, met numerous staff members that guided us through the facilities on WCU’s campus, and enjoyed ourselves with wonderful food at the food court. Overall it was a great experience that I will reflect upon later on in life."
Lake Lure Classical Academy PTO Updates
K-5 Earth Day Celebration, April 19th

Next PTO Meeting:
The next PTO meeting is Wednesday, April 27th at 5:30 pm.
Join:
-In-Person: High School Lab
-By Phone: 304-518-4063 PIN: 937 052 941#

Teacher Luncheon:
Our next teacher luncheon is Thursday, May 5th in celebration of Cinco de Mayo! If you can volunteer to help serve food or with setup/cleanup, please contact pto@llcharter.org. 

Field Day Committee Members Needed:
We are planning a K-8 Field Day for the last week of school on Wednesday, May 25th. If you can join our planning committee, please email pto@llcharter.org.