From your north campus principal, Ann Taylor
It has been nice to have a full week of school and warmer afternoons. Seasons are such a blessing from our Lord – helps us know He is sovereign in all things – not one atom is out of His plan or powerful control – to me that is comforting. The week has had its opportunities in various ways paralleled with a great time of learning and sharing. It was great to see some of our fifth-grade parents at Linking to Logic as well as enjoy the kindergarten classes Pumpkin Storybook sharing times.
Many of you have expressed some kind thoughts to me and my decision to move towards retirement in the future. I did want to say that when I first spoke with Nathan back at the end of August about my desires, I told him I knew that there was lots of pieces in creating a new structure of leadership at the north campus including a replacement for my position. I have promised to stay (with joy) until the fall of 2022 if needed as the Lord guides, to give time for all that Nathan and the leadership team may need to complete the task of shaping north campus for the future and provide a bridge time to comfortably acquaint the new employee for grammar principal for the north campus to provide a smooth transition. So, I am not going anywhere soon. We just wanted to be open about the transition that will be happening over the next 18-20 months.
What a blessed week it has been in all aspects of God’s grace. I hope everyone has a weekend of rest and recovery. Delight in the fall days as we head into cold weather again and two very, very busy weeks before going our separate ways for the Thanksgiving break!!
Smart Watches
We will be having students with a watch that connects to a phone/internet for grammar students to leave it at home or turned off and leave in the backpack and for dialectic students to check it into the “phone motel” along with their phones at the beginning of the school day. The Academy Handbook supports this practice, and we are mirroring the Rhetoric campus enforcement of the policy. Due to the volume of students with Smart Watches it has become increasingly difficult to ask teachers to methodically manage internet access during classes while also teaching with presence of mind. Thank you for your partnership and support for this matter!
Final Exams at The Academy
We are reconfiguring the way we manage final exams for all Dialectic & Rhetoric classes. While students will complete the semester with some sort of assessment (project or test), this experience will follow the same pattern of assessment procedures used throughout the semester. We are transitioning away from intensive testing procedures that entail 1-2 hour exams and require a complete restructuring of the last 2 weeks of school. We believe that students retain information best if it is built upon in a cumulative manner without the presence of stress-induced situations that force intensive cramming. Research fully supports that depth of learning and lasting retention occurs most when students gradually develop deepening knowledge with continual opportunities to strengthen conceptual and long-term memory. We believe this new assessment practice will provide healthier opportunities in the school culture to deepen memory retention and deepen understanding of knowledge. This shift also provides more opportunity for class instruction time at the end of each semester. If you have questions about this shift in practice, I welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you further. Please contact me!
Calendar Notes for the rest of First Semester:
November 16 Chapel (formal uniform)
November 17 8th Grade Rising to Rhetoric visit to Midtown
November 18 Dialectic Spirit Day Thanksgiving Fable Feast
November 19 North Campus View Event 9-10 am. This is a change in schedule.
November 19 Spirit Day
November 19 Turkey Trott PK Traditional
November 20 Fifth grade Durin’s Day Festival
November 20 JCL meeting 3:45-4:45
November 23-27 Thanksgiving Break NO SCHOOL
December 1 Chapel (formal uniform)
December 1 JCL Leaders meeting at lunch
December 2 North Lessons & Carols rehearsal at Midtown Information to come
December 2 House Leaders Meeting at lunch
December 3 North Lessons & Carols Program
NOTE: Lessons & Carols will be an online, virtual experience. More details to come from our Culture & Events staff and Fine Arts staff.
December 4 Knitting & Crocheting club 3:45-4:45
December 7 Chapel (formal uniform)
December 7 & 8 Bake Sale
December 9 Spirit Day
December 10 PK3 Bach & Mozart Nativity Festival
December 11 North Dialectic Spirit Day
December 11 JCL meeting 3:45-4:45
December 11-12 Fall Rhetoric Drama Production at Midtown campus NOTE: Date change from October
December 14 Dialectic Christmas Party
December 15 Chapel (formal uniform)
December 15 North Christmas Feast This may be modified due to the COVID situation.
December 16 Bach Last Day of School before Christmas Break
December 17 3Trad Tumnus Tea Party
December 17 Mozart Last Day
December 18 Traditional grammar, Dialectic, Rhetoric Last Day
½ Day dismissal at 12:00 NO LUNCH
End of Second Quarter
December 21-January 8 Christmas Break NO SCHOOL
