IMPORTANT EVENTS & DATES FOR NOVEMBER & DECEMBER

Parents, please take a moment to mark your calendars. The following are important dates that you do not want to miss:

  • November 17th:  1st Grade Thanksgiving Celebration 2:00PM (1st Grade Classrooms)
  • November 17th:  2nd Grade Writing Showcase 8:30-10:00AM (2nd Grade Classrooms)
  • November 17th:  4th Grade Thanksgiving Celebration 10:45-12:00PM (4th Grade Classrooms)
  • November 18th:  K4, TK, K Thanksgiving Presentation 12:30-1:00PM (Faith Hall)
  • November 18th:  K4, TK, K Thanksgiving Dessert Fellowship 1:15-2:15PM (Classrooms)
  • November 21st-25th:  Thanksgiving Break-No School
  • November 30th:  Deck the Halls
  • December 2nd:  4th Grade St. Augustine Field Trip
  • December 6th:  Parent Association Meeting 8:15-9:45AM (Faith Hall 301)
  • December 9th:  3rd Grade Magic Kingdom Field Trip
  • December 13th:  2nd Quarter AR Deadline
  • December 13th:  Kindergarten Polar Express Day
  • December 14th:   Alternative Lunch for K4-5th Grade
  • December 14th:  Lower School Christmas Class Celebrations
  • December 15th:  Alternative Lunch for K4-5th Grade
  • December 16th:  All School Christmas Program 10:00-11:30AM (FBCO Worship Center)
  • December 16th:  End of 2nd Quarter-12:15PM Dismissal

CHAPEL VENUES, DATES, & TIMES

The following is a list of upcoming chapel dates and times:

  • December 1st:  K4-5th Grade Chapel-Mrs. Agan’s Chapel Presentation 8:30-9:15AM (Faith Hall)
  • December 1st:  Middle School Chapel (6th-8th) 9:30-10:10AM (Faith Hall)
  • December 8th:  Christmas Chapel 8:30-9:15AM (Faith Hall)
  • December 16th:  All School Christmas Program

A NOTE FROM MRS. JACKSON

It is hard to believe that next week is our Thanksgiving Break.  My prayer for all of our families is that you would have a wonderful week.  I am thankful for each and every one of our students, parents, and teachers and support staff.  God has blessed us in so many ways and this is a great time to be thankful for all those blessings.     I would like to challenge all of us to take a few minutes next week to write down some of the ways that God has blessed us this year.  If there is someone particular on your list that has been a blessing to you, let them know.   We are blessed to be a blessing to others.

I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

Psalm 9:1

RECOGNITION

Haiti Shoeboxes

Congratulations to Ms. Burns’ class for having the highest level of classroom participation in our Haiti Shoebox drive.     Their class brought in 94 shoeboxes for a participation percentage of 550%.   Way to go Ms. Burns’ students and families.

Ms. Burns shoeboxes lined up in the hallwayMs. Burns class with their shoeboxesburns-ice-cream-2 burns-ice-cream-3 burns-ice-cream

We collected almost 900 shoeboxes this year which far exceeded our goal of 750 boxes.   The number of children who will be blessed with a special gift is both amazing and humbling at the same time.  Thank you to the students, parents, and teachers for embracing this service project.

Stacks of Shoeboxes Haiti Shoebox 2 Haiti Shoebox 3 Haiti Shoebox 4

RAAE Beginner Ceramics gets a ‘Mug Shot’!

Mrs. Collins’ ‘Jars of Clay’ students enjoyed Hot Cocoa from their own homemade Ceramic mugs! They learned how to make these mugs food safe by using special glazes and processes. They also learned about our Potter and His Clay as they created other fabulous works out of clay!

mug shot with hot chocolate

NEW THIS WEEK

Lower School-Orlando Magic Game

Lower School will be having a family social event at the Orlando Magic’s Faith and Family Night on Friday, January 20th beginning at 7:00pm.  The Lower School Choir/Chorus students who are able to attend will be singing  during the pregame show.    Admission will also give families access to the concert taking place after the game.  Tickets are $33 and $36 and can be purchased HERE.    We have blocks of seating so we will all be in the same area.  Tickets will be on sale through December 16th so go ahead and make your purchase soon!  The teacher with the highest level of participation will receive a special gift from the Orlando Magic.  We look forward to seeing everyone there.

Flyer to announce Lower School Night at the Magic Game

Congratulations Royal Marching Band, Royal Guard & Royal Sapphires

Congratulations to the Royal Marching Band, the Royal Guard and the Royal Sapphires who combined to present a strong performance at the downtown Veterans’ Day Parade last Saturday. The performance was well received along the parade route and also included a feature presentation at the reviewing stand of God Bless America.

Right Now Media

We’re excited to share that our school now has access to an extensive video library called RightNow Media.  It’s the “Netflix of Video Bible Studies” and has a HUGE library of faith-based videos that you can access whenever and wherever you want—on your phone, iPad, computer, or at home on your TV.  The best part is that every TFA family can access this service for FREE!  If you haven’t already received your invitation to register please let us know you’d like to get your FREE access by sending an email to rightnowmedia@thefirstacademy.org.We hope that RightNow Media is a blessing to you and your family.  Check out the links below for a sample of the content.  Thank you for partnering with us!

RightNow Kids Promo https://vimeo.com/123891720

Book Camp! Incentive Program

October 17-December 16

Each week, students can fill out a BOOK CAMP reading record form.  Students can read any 10 books themselves, or the books may be read to them.  Completed reading records (records with at least 10 books) should be turned in during the student’s regular library time each week in order to receive a special prize!    Click below for a copy of the BOOK CAMP log.

Box Tops for Education

The second collection due date for this year’s Box Tops for Education is Friday, December 16th.  Please collect your box tops and turn them into the collection bucket located at the Lower, Middle or Upper School front desk.  This program will help our school earn money, but more importantly help teach our students how joining forces with each other can accomplish great things.  This project allows our children to choose, “Service before self and participation as a way of life.”  Together we can set  a TFA record this year!

REMINDERS

Morning Dropoff-7:30AM

This is just a friendly reminder that students may be dropped off beginning at 7:30AM.  If you arrive to school prior to that time, we request that students remain with their parents until 7:30AM.  The library and the gym are open at that time.  Student supervision does not begin until that time.

AR HomeConnect

 Over the summer, we had an update to our Renaissance Learning program that we use for Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Math, and STAR Testing.  Many parents like to receive email updates when their children take Accelerated Reader and Accelerated Math tests.  You can set your preferences using Renaissance Learning HomeConnect.  If you had this set up previously, you will need to complete the process again.

Library Hours

The Boyd Moline Library will be open until 3:45pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays this year.  It will close at 3:30pm on Monday and Friday and at 2:40pm on Wednesdays.

Calendar Link

The TFA Calendar is a wonderful way to find the dates of upcoming events. Access our web-based calendar anytime. We recommend that you subscribe to all relevant calendars so you can keep up with all of the events going on around the school.

Parent Volunteer Background Check

If you are a new parent and would like to volunteer in your child(ren)’s classroom(s) or chaperone on field trips please complete our free background check.  Please note that the background check site only works on Internet Explorer or Firefox on a desktop computer. Safari and Chrome are not supported by the site. Approvals take a few weeks so plan ahead! All parents must have a completed background check before volunteering of chaperoning on a field trip.