Back to School

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Back to School Information

Welcome to the Back to School Webpage! Everything parents and students need to know for the upcoming 2024 – 2025 school year can be found here. As the summer progresses, more Back to School updates for the 2024 – 2025 school year will be shared with families through our Summer Weekly Update emails. Check our Back to School Webpage frequently for these updates and more.

House Bill 1 Information

In 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation (HB1/SB202) that dramatically overhauled Florida’s school choice programs. Any student who is a resident of Florida and is eligible to enroll in kindergarten through grade 12 in a public school in Florida is eligible for the ESA.

Click here to learn more about how to renew or apply for Florida scholarship opportunities through Step Up for Students.

If you have already completed or renewed your application with the Step Up for Students EMA (Education Market Assistant) Portal, you will receive an email if there is any change in your application status. While the notification should be received via email, it is important to check your account status frequently to ensure there are no delays in receiving updates.

Click here to learn more about the next steps once you have received your award notification.

An Opportunity to Be a Blessing!

We anticipate this change in the law to be a blessing for many of our families. We also have heard from several families who will utilize the ESA scholarships in order to increase their giving towards the TFA Tuition Assistance Fund for current families. If you are interested in learning more about how you can give back to The First Academy, please contact our Development Office at 407-206-8643 or email Brian Rose.

Summer Communication

Click here for the summer editions of the Royal Weekly Update.

New Here? Learn more about New Family information online here.

New Family Event Schedule:

New Family Newsletters:

Click here to view all past editions of the New Family Newsletter.

Need a campus map? View it online here.

FirstWord devotions will return at the beginning of the 2024 – 2025 school year. The Whitaker’s will share a word of encouragement for our Royals daily. Read or listen to the most recent 2024 devotions here.

Back to School Events

Meet the Teacher for the 2024 – 2025 school year will be held in “Open House” style, with our teachers and staff looking forward to meeting students and families on Friday, August 9th. Please follow the schedule below.

  • 2:00 – 2:30 PM: New Families
  • 2:30 – 4:30 PM: Returning Families

Following Meet the Teacher, come celebrate the start of the school year at TFA’s Spirit Night hosted at Chick-fil-A Millenia (4181 Millenia Blvd, Orlando) from 4:00-8:00 pm.  Proceeds (10% before tax) will be donated to support TFA’s Royal-Thon. Just let a Chick-fil-A team member know that you are there for TFA’s Spirit Night. If you place a Mobile Order, please type Spirit Night in the Special Instructions. Share fun family and friend photos on social media with the #TFASpiritNight.

Additionally, after enjoying Meet the Teacher and TFA’s Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A, join us at 7:00 pm at the Payne Stewart Athletic Complex for TFA’s Varsity Football Blue & Gold Game! It is sure to be a Friday full of fun and excitement as we gather together as a Royal Nation to ring in the 2024-2025 school year!

We look forward to beginning the 2024 -2025 school year together as a school family. All families are invited to join us in the Worship Center on Wednesday, August 21st at 9:30 AM for the first chapel of the school year, a special All School Worship and celebration of our founders.

We also look forward to kicking off the school year and welcoming parents, new and returning. TFA Parents are invited to join us for the Parent Kick-Off Breakfast & Volunteer Fair hosted by The Parent Association on Thursday, August 21st at 8:15 AM in Faith Hall.

This is a great way to get connected and learn about volunteer opportunities available across campus. Following the breakfast, families can join us in the Worship Center for the first chapel of the school year, a special All School Worship and celebration of our founders at 9:30 AM. More information to come and we look forward to seeing you there!

RSVP here!

Helpful Information

In the sections below, you will find the most important information regarding Back to School. As more information becomes available, new information will be added below.

We look forward to the 2024 – 2025 school year!

Annual Calendar

Click here for the The First Academy’s 2024 – 2025 Annual Calendar.

Click here for the main dates for the 2024 – 2025 school year.

Click here for The Classical School’s 2024 – 2025 Annual Calendar.

Click here for The First Hope’s 2024 – 2025 Annual Calendar.

Teacher Blessing/Late Start School Days to continue in 2024 – 2025! More details coming soon.

Required Family Form

Please read and complete the Gospel-Centered School Culture Form.

Supply Lists

Below you will find the supply lists for students. Note, supply lists are linked to Google Docs that may be updated by teachers.

Preschool

Lower School

Middle School 

Upper School

Supply lists for grades 9-12 vary with each course and teacher. Upper School teachers will have their supply lists available during Meet The Teacher.

The Classical School

The First Hope

Summer Assignments

Please review the summer assignments for your appropriate grade level or division.

Lower School

Please review your rising grade-level flyer for more information on summer assignments and activities.

Middle School
Upper School
The Classical School

Tuition & Fees

Please view our Tuition Page for more information on grade-level fees, payment plans, and more.

Arrival & Dismissal

We will continue with our current drop-off and pick-up procedures for the 2024 – 2025 school year. K-Prep 4’s through 12th Grade families will continue using the designated carlines for student drop-off and pick-up.

School Start & Dismissal Times

Start Time

Grades K-Prep 4’s through 12th Grade………… Monday – Friday……….. 8:00 AM

Dismissal Time

Grades K-Prep 4’s through 12th Grade ……….Monday – Friday………… 2:45 PM

These are the arrival and dismissal times for TFA, The Classical School, and The First Hope. For Preschool arrival and dismissal information, please click here.

*Students may arrive as early as 7:30 AM. After Care begins at 3:00 PM and is available until 6:00 PM for students in K-Prep 4’s through 12th Grade.

Lunch

TFA partners with FLIK Independent School Dining to ensure our students enjoy morning and lunch dining options in the Royal Eatery. You do not need to pre-order lunch for your student. You do need to set up a Prepay Account on the Family Portal.

To assist families with Prepay Account set-up, lunch details, and Q&A, we have updated our lunch webpage to serve as a one-stop shop for all of your dining needs! Head to thefirstacademy.org/lunch to:

  • Add funds to your Prepay Accounts
  • View the upcoming lunch menus for all divisions
  • Learn more about how to add money to your Prepay Account from a desktop or mobile device, as well as view dining menus and more
  • Review the lunch Q&A section to answer any questions that you may have

Positive lunch balances from the 2023 – 2024 school year will be forwarded to the 2024 – 2025 school year in the summer for use when your students return in the fall.

Royal Store & Uniforms
Visit the Royal Store

Visit the Royal Store to get all of your Spirit Wear and TFA gear for the 2024 – 2025 school year. Order online anytime at theroyalstore.org.

Summer Hours (Beginning June 5, Closed on dates not listed)

  • Wednesdays 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM in June & July
  • Wednesday, July 31, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
  • Wednesday, August 7, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Thursday, August 8, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

First Week of School Hours

  • August 12, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • August 13 – 15, 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Regular Store Hours (Beginning August 20)

  • Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays Open 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Uniforms & Dress Code

2024 -2025 Uniform Guidelines

You can visit The Royal Store to shop for approved uniform tops.

After School Care

After School Care is available for Preschool through 12th Grade. For more information, click here.

Family Portal

Family Portal is a private and secure website that allows you to see complete information specific to your student(s) such as Attendance, Daily Grades, Progress Reports, Lesson Plans, Homework, Discipline, Teacher E-mail Addresses, and other school information.

Parents can also update their student’s medical and health information on the Family Portal, as well as set up their Lunch Prepay Account.

For more information on using Family Portal by FACTS, click here.

Arts & Athletics

Summer Arts

There are several creative, visual, and performing arts summer camp offerings through Royal Summer. Learn more and register today!

Summer Athletics

Planning on playing a sport during the 2024 – 2025 school year? Make sure you have all of the required Athletic Forms on file. Click here to learn more.

There is a summer workout program for all rising 9th – 12th Grade student-athletes that are enrolled at The First Academy. Exceptions can be made with approval from the performance staff for Middle School students that were on a JV or Varsity roster in the 2023 – 2024 school year. Coach Trey Tyler has put together a great plan for this summer that we would like all of our athletes to be involved in as much as their summer schedules allow.

As a reminder, all summer lifting sessions are free to current TFA student-athletes, but a current physical, FamilyID registration (2024-2025), and a current EKG are required prior to participating.

Register here for TFA’s summer workout program. If you have any questions about summer workouts or opportunities in the weight room this summer, please reach out to Coach Trey at TreyTyler@thefirstacademy.org.

Fall Tryout Information

If you are interested in Football, Girls’ Volleyball, Golf, or Cross-Country, you will find all of the information for tryouts linked below. Keep in mind that most sports will start and/or have tryouts before the first day of school.

Please remember that in order to try out for an athletic team or do any summer training activities, students must be registered on FamilyID and have a current physical on file.

This information can also be found on TFA’s website on the Athletics Upper and Middle School pages. If you have questions about FamilyID, please contact Trey Tyler at treytyler@thefirstacademy.org.

Girls Volleyball

Girls Interested in trying out for Volleyball must complete this form prior to tryouts. Please contact Coach Serpa with questions.

Freshman, JV, and Varsity

  • Rising 9th through 12th Grade Girls
  • Monday, July 29 – Tuesday, July 30
  • 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM, Cramer Family Field House

Middle School

  • Rising 6th through 8th Grade Girls
  • Friday, August 9, Callbacks Monday, August 12
  • 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (Friday), 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM (Monday)

Boys Football

Varsity & Junior Varsity (no tryouts)– 9th Graders may participate on both teams. Please contact Coach Conaway with questions.

  • Summer Workouts begin May 28.
  • Practice begins July 29 – August 2, 7 AM – 11 AM

Boys Golf

Please contact Coach Rosado with questions.

Varsity

  • Rising 9th through 12th Grade Boys *Middle School students wanting to try out for Varsity should email Coach Rosado prior to tryouts. JV tryout/practice will begin the week of August 18.
  • Tuesday, August 13 – Thursday, August 15
  • 4:00 PM, Orange Tree

Girls Golf

Please contact Coach Victoria with questions.

Varsity

  • Rising 9th through 12th Grade Girls
  • Wednesday, August 21
  • 3:30 PM, Orange Tree

JV

  • Rising 6th through 9th Grade Girls
  • Tuesday, August 20
  • 4:00 – 5:30 PM, Location TBD

Boys & Girls Cross Country

Varsity

Please contact Coach Middleton with questions.

  • Rising 8th through 12th Grade Boys and Girls
  • Monday, July 29
  • Time TBD, Cramer Family Field House

Middle School

Please contact Coach Townsend with questions.

  • Rising 6th through 8th Boys and Girls
  • Practice begins August 13: 3 – 5 PM, Cramer Family Field House

Technology

Please review the iPad and MacBook Guidelines and Acknowledgement Forms for students in 3rd through 12th Grade. Please note, the acknowledgment forms are for new students or students transitioning from an iPad to MacBook for the 2024-2025 school year.

3rd through 6th Grade iPad Guidelines and Policies

3rd through 6th Grade iPad Acknowledgement Form

7th through 12th Grade MacBook Guidelines and Policies

7th through 12th Grade MacBook Acknowledgement Form

For more information, please visit TFA’s Technology Resource page here.

For questions, please contact Will Zavala, TFA’s Director of Technology, at williamzavala@thefirstacademy.org.

Parent Volunteers

The Parent Association Executive Committee has begun preparing for the upcoming school year. More information and a school year welcome to come from Parent Association President Becca Andone.

Save the Date! TFA’s Parent Association Kick-Off Breakfast and Volunteer Fair will be hosted on Wednesday, August 21. RSVP link and more details to come!

For more information on TFA’s Parent Association (PA), click here.

All parents volunteering in the classroom, on campus, or chaperoning field trips must have a current background check on file. Click here to complete the Parent Volunteer Background Check.

Giving

Believing there is much left to be accomplished and understanding that we are humbly dependent on God raising up a new generation of Gospel Patrons, we are fully convinced that God has great plans for our future. By His grace, we will continue to pray that current families will be inspired to lead the way with sacrificial gifts so that we can provide an even greater experience for our own children and the children to follow.

Learn more and give now at thefirstacademy.org/giving.

Important Links

Follow the links on the following topics to help make your family’s 2024 – 2025 school year a success:

Parent Student Handbook

Faculty & Staff Directory 

Leadership Team

School Board

Athletic Forms

College Guidance

Campus Map

Parent Volunteer Background Check – Click here to create a user account and complete your Background Check form.