IMPORTANT EVENTS & DATES FOR DECEMBER & JANUARY
Parents, please take a moment to mark your calendars. The following are important dates that you do not want to miss.
- December 21: Mentor Group Christmas Celebrations & MS Ugly Sweater Christmas Party – Student Center, 10:00am
- December 21: 12:15pm Dismissal
- December 22-January 8: No School – Christmas Break
- January 9: Students return to school
- January 11: MS Coffee & College for 8th Grade Parents – US room 221, 7:50am
- January 11: MS/US Chapel – Worship Center, 9:25am
- January 15: No School – Student/Teacher Holiday
MS/US Chapel Recap 12/14
By Abby B. – Class of 2018
December has become notorious for being chaotic and stressful. During the Christmas season, we are often so caught up in the festivities that we forget about the good news of the Christmas story. In Luke 2:8-12, we are reminded of the weight of the announcement of Jesus’ birth. The Angels’ message to the shepherds reminds us of a few truths about what the Christmas season really means. First, that the blessing of salvation is meant for everyone, not just the socially elite or the most religious. The shepherds were dirty workers tending to sheep, a job that no one else wanted, and yet they were the first to hear about the birth of the King. Second, the gift of salvation is something only God could give us, not because of anything we have done, but because of his love for us. In the same way a parent gives a child a present on Christmas to see them experience joy, our Father gave us the greatest gift of all.
In Ephesians 2, it is clearly explained that we have received salvation purely through grace. Our sins have completely separated us from God, but he has brought us back into his love through Jesus’ death. His life, crucifixion, and resurrection was the final, perfect sacrifice for our transgressions. This Christmas season, challenge yourself to reflect the incredible love that God has shown us. As our speaker at this past chapel, Brian Richards, told us “the story of salvation flows through the testimonies of those who have received it.” Think about those special people in your life who don’t know the truth of the gospel, and show them enough love to tell them about the hope that you have. Their salvation is a better gift than anything they have on their Christmas list.
REMINDERS
Coffee and College for 8th Grade Parents
Dates: January 11th, 18th, and 25th
Time: 7:50am-8:35am
Location: US Room 221
It’s never too early to think about the college process and the transition into high school! The First Academy’s Upper School Guidance team will be hosting a coffee for the parents of 8th grade students. In our meeting, we will cover:
- College Admissions Process
- Standardized Testing Information
- Upper School Grading Scale and GPA
- Upper School Curriculum Levels
- Upper School Course Scheduling Process for rising 9th graders
Library Reading Incentive Program
The second quarter’s reading incentive program for grades 3-8 is based on the Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award (SSYRA) reading lists: SSYRA parent letter 2017. These books are chosen by the Florida Association of Media in Education and have not yet been pre-approved by the TFA Library staff. Parents, as always, please use your best judgment in helping your child choose books to read. After reading and passing the AR test for a SSYRA book, students will receive a small prize from the “Sunshine Store” during their class library time. This promotion will end January 12th. We hope your student finds a new favorite while they explore new authors and genres during this promotion. Students who read and pass the AR test for 5 or more books will be invited to a celebration lunch with SSYRA author Taryn Souders on Thursday, February 1st.
If you have any questions, please see Mrs. DeBoom or Ms. Whitaker in the library.
Attendance
All attendance notifications and questions should be communicated directly to Mrs. Erika Faustino, Middle School Receptionist. All Middle School students who are tardy to campus must check in with Mrs. Faustino in the Middle School office when they arrive at school. You may contact Mrs. Faustino concerning your student being tardy or absent at 407-206-8620 or email her at msattendance@thefirstacademy.org.
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 in the classroom or chaperoning on a field trip.