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Ada Connection – Mar 04, 2020

A Note From Principal Brower

  • Wildcats of the Month
  • Thank You Mr. Manny
  • Welcome Back Mrs. Westrate
  • Middle School Exploratories - A Great Week!
  • Tardy Letters
  • What About the Coronavirus?
  • Teaching Positions

This Week

  • "Faith. Strong." Friday – Mar 06
  • Lost & Found – Mar 06
  • Moms In Prayer
  • MENistry

Now You Know

  • March Is Reading Month
  • Sensory Movie Screening
  • New Faith Strong Club - "Girl Drama"
  • Camp Invention
  • 2020-2021 Calendar

Action Needed

  • Kindergarten Parent Information Night
  • Mother Son Event - Volunteers Needed

PTO Happenings

  • Recess Help - Staff Appreciation Week Mar 16-20
  • School Party - Thank You
  • Parent Teacher Confe

A Note From Principal Brower

Wildcats of the Month

Congratulations to our February Wildcats of the Month

Taylor Frost, 5th
Jackson Youngblood, 6th
Logan Hedlund, 7th
Lindsey Schrock, 8th

Thank You Mr. Manny

[IMAGE '1529' /]We want to express a special thank you to Mr. Manny who stepped into the 56er science classroom as a long term substitute teacher during Mrs. Westrate's maternity leave.

Welcome Back Mrs. Westrate

She's baaaack! Welcome back Mrs. Westrate, our 56er science teacher. We missed you but are SO HAPPY you had special time at home with your sweet baby boy, Micah!

Middle School Exploratories - A Great Week!

[IMAGE '1530' /]Thank you to the many parents and teachers who helped our students have a great Exploratory Week! We had so much fun!

Tardy Letters

Due to a glitch in our system tardy letters were not sent out for the second trimester and several absence letters were sent late. We will begin to send tardy letters again during the third trimester. You can review our attendance policy on our website.

What About the Coronavirus?

ACS has protocols in place to help us navigate illnesses like the Coronavirus. In addition to our safety protocols, we follow federal and state guidelines.
 
Kent ISD is working directly with the Kent County Health Department to provide information about the Coronavirus as it becomes available.
 
ACS is in communication with Kent ISD along with the area districts to remain informed about the virus and will continue to do so.
 
We are confident we are prepared and will continue to monitor the situation.
 
Prevention and Treatment Information

Teaching Positions

If you or someone you know would be a great fit at ACS for either of the following positions, the following links will give more detail on how to apply.

1st Grade Teaching Position
5th/6th Grade Language Arts Teaching Position

This Week

"Faith. Strong." Friday - Mar 06

[IMAGE '1532' /]It’s that time again. All students, staff and parents are encouraged to wear their ACS gear to school this week Fri, Mar 06.

Lost & Found

The lost will be in the front lobby on Fri, Mar 06.  What is left at the end of the day will be boxed away. You can always check the lost and found which is located by the kitchen/music rooms.

Moms In Prayer

We’re praying for our Covenant Care, Preschool and Kindergarten. God is our counselor - One who gives advice, guidance and direction. 

"May I say with confidence: I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." - Psalm 16:7-8

We’re a group of Moms (aunts/grandmas) passionate about lifting up our kids and ACS faculty and staff in prayer. We meet every Thursday morning at 8:00-9:00am, in the orchestra room (through the Commons and straight past the kitchen). Younger siblings are always welcome! Come join us for the journey when you can. 

Need more information? Contact Kelly Stafford (616.304.2963, )

MENistry

Come join other ACS dads on Wednesdays at 8:00am as we go through C.S. Lewis The Screwtape Letters. We meet in the orchestra room.

Now You Know

Beauty & The Beast Jr. - Tickets Available

[IMAGE '1534' /]ACS 8th grade presents: Beauty and the Beast Jr. Dessert Theatre has been an important part of our school for many years. It is a wonderful community event and we hope that you can join us. Come for one or both nights, Mar 26 and Mar 27 at 7:00pm.

Tickets are available for purchase online.

March Is Reading Month

We will celebrate reading for the month of March. Each week we have a special event planned for kindergarten through 4th grade students. Throughout March we will also have a Sweet 16 book bracket as well as book videos read by teachers. The book video voices are altered and the students will have to guess who the Mystery Readers are.

On Thurs, Mar 05, we will have DEAR time (Drop Everything And Read) in the library.

Next week’s special event is...Mystery readers and a special guest speaker from KDL.

LMCU Reading Contest

To celebrate National Reading Month, every March Lake Michigan Credit Union challenges kids to participate in Max’s Reading Adventure to read five books for their chance to win $100! Bring this form to a branch new year.

Sensory Movie Screening

Come enjoy a FREE inclusive, sensory-friendly movie experience! Saturday, Mar 21, 2:00pm at Celebration Cinema Grand Rapids South 1506 Eastport Drive Grand Rapids hosted by All Belong. To ensure all attendees enjoy the show, the movie will be presented with brighter lighting and lower sound levels. Please arrive early as the movie will start promptly at 2:00pm without previews.

RSVP at allbelong.org/insideout by Mar 14.

New Faith Strong Club – "Girl Drama"

"Girl Drama” is a group of young women who come together to have fun, act out stories, and learn to do it all with confidence in the Lord and in themselves! Students will be learning about who Jesus says they are-- finding their identity in Him first-- and then integrating that with the joy of acting and storytelling-- finding their identity as a skilled, worshipful actress/performer. In “Girl Drama,” we will be doing character studies of several women in Shakespeare’s stories, and then recreating particular scenes from Shakespeare plays-- giving the girls an opportunity to explore a rich and complicated text, become familiar (and confident) with the language, as well as play wild and extraordinary characters of all kinds! 

Leader: Sophia Medawar

Who: Students in grades 5-8th 

Where: Music room 

When:  Tues & Thurs, 3:00-4:00pm (March 03-31)

(After the first 15 have signed up a waiting list will be formed and a second session will be considered.) 

Fee: $50 

Other details: ACS athletics should take precedence over club activities if practice/game conflicts occur. Each student will get an after school snack. ACS Faith Strong Registration

Please complete and return this form to the office with $50. Checks payable to Sophia Medewar. Club limited to first 15 participants. 

Camp Invention

In partnership with the National Inventors Hall of Fame® (NIHF), we are pleased to offer the nationally acclaimed Camp Invention® program to children entering kindergarten through sixth grade. This exciting, weeklong summer adventure provides lessons that explore connections between science, technology, engineering and innovation. Children rotate through several hands-on activities each day while using teamwork, creative thinking and problem-solving skills to invent unique solutions to real-world challenges. The week begins on June 15-June 18 with Dani Buchanan serving as Director of the all-new 2020 program, Elevate!

 During this program, young innovators will:

  • Build a cityscape out of upcycled materials, navigate planes through a storm and take apart a robot they’ll bring home at the end of the program.
  • Learn the value of their creativity as they sketch and build prototypes, design logos, market their invention and protect their intellectual property.
  • Collaborate and discover solutions to protect the Earth’s ecosystems as they compete in zipline races, explore energy conservation and help wildlife habitats.
  • Discover the great inventors behind their favorite sports, play high-energy games and design the ultimate sports complex.

Camp Invention’s activities give participants the opportunity to explore, create and build confidence as they bring their biggest ideas to life.

Register using promo code SUM25 to save $25 (expires Mar 31) off the $245 registration fee. Availability is limited. Visit invent.org/camp or call 800-968-4332 to secure your child’s spot today! 

Questions? Contact Dani Buchanan ()

2020-2021 Calendar

Here is a preview of our school calendar for the 2020-2021 school year:

Aug 25 – First Day (Half Day)

Sept 04-Sept 07 – No School (Labor Day)

Sept 28 – No School (In-Service Day)

Oct 21-23 – No School (Teacher’s Convention)

Nov 25-29 – No School (Thanksgiving Break)

Dec 19-Jan 03 – No School (Christmas Break)

Jan 18 – No School (In-Service Day)

Feb 18-Feb 22 – No School (Winter Break)

Apr 02-12* – No School (Spring Break) - *Please note, we will start Spring Break on Friday, Apr 02 and return on Tuesday, Apr 13.

May 07 – GrandFriends (Half Day)

May 10 – No School (In-Service Day)

Jun 08 – 8th Grade Graduation

Jun 09 – Last Day (Half Day)

Action Needed

Kindergarten Parent Information Night

2020-2021 Kindergarten Parents: Come to Kindergarten Information Night on Tue, Mar 10 at 7:00-8:00pm  in the commons. This is for parents only. During this time you will need to sign up your future kindergartener for visiting on Thur, Apr 16 at 8:30–9:30am, 10:00–11:00am, or 12:00–1:00pm. Testing must be done if your child turns 5 after June 1, 2020. The time for that is Thur, Apr 23 from 8:30–9:30am or 9:45-10:45am. If you are not able to come to the orientation night, please stop in the office before Mar 10 and sign up your child to visit and pick up a folder with papers that need to be filled out and return on Apr 16.

If you have not signed up for kindergarten for the fall yet please contact Sharon DeJong  (616.676.1289, ) as soon as possible.

Mother Son Event presented by MENistry

Friday, Mar 13 6:00-9:00pm

Moms – please sign up for the annual mother-son event and come prepared to have a blast with your son as you roller skate, bowl, and play laser tag at Roll Away in Lowell. 

Password: motherson

The online sign-up is through Eventbrite, a 3rd party vendor that charges a percentage per ticket.  If you do not wish to pay the additional $2.24 for the online ticket, feel free to stop by the front office to register and pay for the event. Each individual signing up to attend requires their own individual sign up. Each person attending receives an amazing Mother-Son T-shirt, with the artwork created by an ACS student. This is an amazing deal! Roller skating, bowling, laser tag, and a t-shirt - all for just $10!

In order for us to make sure we order the appropriate t-shirt sizes, we need each mother and each son to sign up and purchase tickets individually. The online and in-person signup will be available up until noon Mar 12. We WILL accept last minute decisions – wrist bands can be purchased at the door on the night of the event. However, anyone that signs up after Mar 02 will not be guaranteed a t-shirt that fits, as our generous t-shirt donor needs a ten day advance notice for custom shirt sizes. 

Volunteers needed! Dads, come support your wife and son at this great event and help us work the bowling alley and laser tag lines, pass out skates, and sell concessions.  Sign up to volunteer.

PTO Happenings

Recess Help – Staff Appreciation Week Mar 16-20

Looking for a way to bless our hard working teachers during Staff Appreciation? Covering Recess Duty is a great way to help!  

This is such a great opportunity for those who can't commit to a full year-long recess schedule - you get to jump in and bless the teachers, plus it's an extra chance to see your child in action on the playground.  That's always a special treat for them. Please take a quick moment to check out the sign up page and claim your spot! We have openings for snack and lunch recess Monday through Friday Mar 16-20.

School Party – Thank You

[IMAGE '1531' /]We had so much fun skating around that ice rink, not too many spills and lots of laughs.  Join us for our next party adventure on May 04.

Parent Teacher Conferences – Thank You 

Thank you so much to all of those who helped with recess duty to give the teachers a welcome break to prepare for conferences.  We appreciate your time!

A very, very special thank you to Kim Laufer who amazingly made two wonderful, warm dinners to nourish the teachers for their evening conferences.  She sure transforms the teachers lounge, it smells heavenly, it is full of incredibly delicious food, and she sets it up so orderly! Six crockpots in a neat little row full of warm soup or chili, perfectly lined up thick slices of bread, big bowls full of overflowing with fresh salads and buckets of ice with shiny cans of sparkling water.  We appreciate your time, Kim!

Athletics

PurePlay

Spring soccer signups are now open. Deadline Mar 20.

Co-ed child-parent volleyball is Mar 14, 9:00-noon.

Calendar Reminders

Mar 10 - New Kindergarten Parent Information Night - Commons at 7:00pm
Mar 13 - No Forest Hills PM Transportation 
Mar 26 & 27 - Dessert Theater (Beauty & the Beast Jr.)
Mar 31 - Annual Society Meeting - Commons at 7:00
Apr 02 - Apr 12 - No School - Spring Break

Requested Announcements

Camp Roger‘s Get Outside Day

We invite you to sign up your 1st-5th grade students for Camp Roger Get Outside Day on Friday, Apr 03 from 8:30am-3:15pm.  This will be a day filled with a variety of hands-on outdoor adventures (some of which are weather dependent) that may include topics like water and wetlands study, GPS and orienteering, adventure and problem solving, survival and shelters, and more.  Groups will be divided up by age, and each group will spend time with Camp Roger Outdoor Education staff exploring the outdoors through various activities. The cost of the event is just $35 for the day. For more information please go to camproger.org and find the link on our homepage. 

Register now!