GREETINGS FROM SPARTAN LANE

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you! We have had an active and engaged start to the school year, so people may be a little tired and in need of a pause in the action. Please enjoy the upcoming holiday with your loved ones and take some quality time to read, rest, get outside, cheer on the Bulldogs, or simply relax. Let’s do our best to live in the present moment and enjoy each minute with those around us.  

It is also a time of Thanksgiving, and I hope that we can take some time to reflect on the things for which we are grateful. Some of the things that our students and faculty have been working on this week: 

• Upper School students showed their traditional Thanksgiving PowerPoint in Tuesday’s mid-morning meeting.
• Preschool will host its Harvest Festival to celebrate the bounty of the harvest on Friday in Ferguson stadium.
• Middle School has “Thankful Turkeys” posted in each hallway of their buildings, and the students are excited for our food drive with the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, which kicks off after the holiday break.
• In Lower School, each grade level showed their gratitude with Thankful Turkeys and/or a bulletin board sharing the many things they appreciate.
• The Tillman Center served its traditional Thanksgiving feast today, and it remains a big hit for students and faculty alike!
• Everyone is looking forward to our 39th annual Holiday Celebration which highlights our community, especially the Classes of 2024 and 2035.

Read more.

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

WINTER SPORTS YARD SIGNS & TICKET INFO

Click here for information on ordering winter sports yard signs, season passes for basketball, and tickets for regular season games. Please note that the deadline for ordering yard signs in Wednesday, November 22. Questions? Email Bobby McPhillips. Thank you and GO SPARTANS!

ROBOTICS TOURNAMENT JUDGES & REFEREES NEEDED

GEORGIA FLL REGIONAL TOURNAMENT - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2

Athens Academy is excited to host the Georgia FIRST Lego League Regional Robotics Tournament this year, on Saturday, December 2! We prefer to have six judges, eight referees, and two scorers to help support the tournament. No prior knowledge or experience is required--just a desire to work with an amazing group of talented children! If you are interested in volunteering or learning more, click here or email Keira Digel Drake. Thank you!

SIGN UP NOW FOR THE SPARTAN 5K!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10 / 9:00 AM

Spartans just want to have fun at the 39th Annual Spartan 5K! This year the Spartan 5K and Spartan Sprint will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2024. A favorite race of runners across the Southeast, the 5K has a super fast one-mile downhill finish, RFID chip timing, and beautiful handmade pottery awards by r.wood studio. 

Click here for the early registration rate of $25 (deadline is January 16, 2024). Click here to download the race form to register for the family discount. Questions? Interested in sponsoring this event? Contact Sarah Gilbert at 706.433.2406 or by email.

The Georgia Tuition Tax Credit is a fantastic program that is essentially free money for our school and benefits everyone in our community!

Spartans, we welcome your participation in the Georgia Tuition Tax Credit Program (GTTC). This program allows taxpayers to easily divert state tax dollars to Athens Academy’s need-based financial aid program. Click here to learn more!

UPCOMING EVENTS

School Store Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Holiday Market 2023 - Wednesday, November 15 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. (Preview Night) and Thursday, November 16 from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Classes Dismiss for Thanksgiving Break - Friday, November 17 at 3:20 p.m. (Extended Day available until 4:00 p.m.); Classes resume on Monday, November 27

PSO Holiday Decorating - Tuesday, November 28

PSO Uniform Resale - Wednesday, November 29 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. AND 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the Chambers Center Lower Level

Middle/Upper School Winter Band Concert - Tuesday, December 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Bertelsmann Presentation Hall

School-wide Holiday Celebration - Wednesday, December 6 at 9:30 a.m. in the Sinkwich Spartan Center

Snapshots Drama Showcase - Wednesday, December 6 at 7:00 p.m. in the Bertelsmann Presentation Hall

Grade 4 Class Play - Friday, December 8 at 8:45 a.m. in the Harrison Performance Hall

Classes Dismiss for Winter Break - Friday, December 15 at 11:30 a.m. (No Extended Day); classes resume on Tuesday, January 2

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No School) - Monday, January 15, 2024

Grade 3 Class Play - Friday, January 19 at 8:45 a.m. in the Harrison Performance Hall

All Grades Admission Open House - Wednesday, January 24 at 8:30 a.m. in the Myers Gallery

Preschool Spotlight Morning - Thursday, January 25 at 8:30 a.m. in the Harrison Center

PSO Uniform Resale - Wednesday, January 31 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in the Chambers Center Lower Level

Middle School Play - February 2 & 3 at 7:00 p.m. and February 4 at 2:00 p.m. in the Bertelsmann Presentation Hall

Class Picture Day, K3-Grade 8 - Wednesday, February 7

Grade 2 Class Play - Friday, February 9 at 8:45 a.m. in the Harrison Performance Hall

CARE Club Father-Daughter Dance - Friday, February 9 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Middle School Gym

39th Annual Spartan 5K & Sprint - Saturday, February 10 at 9:00 a.m.