Thank you to Fusion Church in Somers Point for once again blessing our faculty who teach specialized classes with goody bags filled with tissues and disinfecting wipes for their classrooms. Great gifts for the start of our school year!

Pictured here are some of the faculty members who received gift bags: Mrs. Ash (computers, library); Mrs. Mirakian (art), Mrs. Scardilli (English Language Learners), and Mrs. Gomez (Spanish).

ACS is very grateful for the support that Fusion and other churches in our community provide our school in various ways, including Faith Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City, Friendship Bible Church, Greentree Church, Hammonton Baptist Church, Linwood Community Church, Mission Point Church, Sojourn Community Church, and St. John’s By the Sea.

Our 16th annual Back-to-School BBQ on September 13 was a great night of fellowship and a time to grow closer together as a school family. We were thrilled to see over 600 new and returning parents, students, staff, grandparents, and alumni turn out for an enjoyable evening of fellowship, good food, and lots of games and activities for the kids.

Our students’ favorite activities included the Rock Wall, Ga Ga Ball, the Big Kahuna, and going to the face-painting table. Thank you to our many volunteers, including members of the Board of Directors, who were busy at the BBQ grill, served in the food buffet line alongside faculty and staff, helped with face-painting, monitored the student activities, helped with set-up and clean-up, and much more.

CLICK HERE to see additional photos from our Back-to-School BBQ.

This week we are kicking off our 17th annual Race for Education. Please look for the Race packet that is being sent home this week with every student in PreK3 to the 8th grade. The Race is a major fundraiser for the school and our goal is to raise $27,000 for classroom and art supplies, playground and PE equipment, technology upgrades, and much more.

There are lots of great prizes for students and classes who get involved by asking individuals and businesses to be sponsors. They can make a flat donation, pledge a per lap gift, be a Class Sponsor ($200 donation), or be an Event Sponsor ($400 donation).  The more dollars we raise from our sponsors, the better chance we have to meet or exceed our goal of $27,000. And there are two “Class Grand Prizes” — one for an Early Ed/Elementary Class and one for a Middle School Class.

A parent Kick-Off packet with all the information about the Race is being sent home with students this week. Please fill out and return the label sheet with at least 10 names and addresses of potential sponsors who know you and your children. The deadline to return the label sheet is Friday, September 20.

The sponsors you identify will receive a letter from your child (completed in class) asking them to make a donation to ACS. Potential sponsors could be relatives, close friends, neighbors, and people you do business with. Families with multiple children only need to fill out 1 sheet with 20 plus names and return the form with your youngest child.

Let’s all pitch in and make this year’s Race for Education our biggest ever. ALSO – if you want to volunteer to help on Race Day, please fill out the Volunteer Reply Form in the Race Kick-Off packet and send that in as well with your child’s labels.

If you’re a parent of a student in kindergarten to the 5th grade, please mark your calendar to attend our Elementary Back-to-School Night next week — on Thursday, September 19. This exciting and informative event will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the school’s gymnasium.  Our teachers and staff are looking forward to sharing with you all the good things that are going on in our school and in your children’s lives.

Leaders of the Parent-Teacher Fellowship and ACS school parent and nurse Carrie Jorgenson, who is Cubmaster of the ACS Cub Scout Pack 389, will also be at information tables that night.

Here are a few of the ways you can benefit by coming to Back-to-School Night:

– Meet and talk with your child’s teacher;
– Visit your child’s classroom and even sit at his/her desk;
– Meet other parents in your child’s class;
– Get an early look at some of your child’s classwork;
– Hear about upcoming school events;
– Find out ways you can get involved in our school as a volunteer;
– Learn about the variety of after-school enrichment classes and clubs offered throughout the school year to our students and their families

A number of interesting and enriching after-school classes are starting over the next two weeks. Check out the fall schedule posted on the ACS website and the packet with registration forms that is being sent home this week with PreK2-5th grade students. The Model Railroading Class started this week, but it’s not too late to join. Below is a brief synopsis of the upcoming classes.

Intro to Sign Language – 1st-5th Grades – $45 – Tuesdays – Sept. 17-Oct. 29, 3:15-4:00 pm. Get started learning sign language with the alphabet and common words used in everyday life. You will also learn to sign along with a simple worship song. Led by ACS staff member Jessica Martin.

Karate – PK4-12th Grade – $90 for 10 classes
Tuesdays & Thursdays, beginning Sept. 19, 3:15-4:00 pm

Learn karate, capoeira, self-defense, and fitness, with an emphasis on developing a positive self-image and exhibiting humility, kindness, and respect. Led by Brian Moragne of Freestyle Martial Arts.

Soccer  – PK4-5th Grade – $65 – Six weeks
Wednesdays – Sept. 25-Oct. 30, 3:15-4:00 pm

Learn the essentials of soccer from fully qualified Global Premier Soccer coaches. Fee includes GPS T-shirt.

Snapology Lego Workshop “All About Animals” – PK3-K – $100 – 8-session class
Mondays – Sept. 16-Nov. 11, 3:15-4:00 pm

Cultivate a love of animals by learning various concepts of animal life cycles and animal characteristics & traits using K’Nex toys and other interactive learning tools.

Art Studio – 6th-12th Grades – $60
Mondays – Starting Sept. 23 for 15 weeks

A fun place for 6th to 12th grade students to explore and develop their creative talents. Students can work on their own art project or join a group project. Throughout the semester, students will be drawing, painting, sculpting, and crafting. Led by ACS art teacher Sherry Mirakian.

Art Workshop – 1st-5th Grades – $60, includes supplies
Wednesdays – Sept. 25-Nov. 6, 3:15-4:15 pm

Students will create artwork inspired by animals and think about how we care for animals and the environment. Students will draw, paint, and create 3-dimensional animals using multiple types of mediums. Led by ACS art teacher Sherry Mirakian.

Gymnastics – K-5th Grades – $80
Fridays, Sept. 27-Nov. 1, 3:15-4:00 pm

Learn the basics of gymnastics and build your skills each week. This 6-session class is designed to enhance a student’s love for movement and make fitness a fun activity. Led by Blake’s Gymnastics instructor.

Model Railroading – 5th-12th Grades – $50 per session
Tuesdays – Session 1: Sept. 10-Oct. 22; Session 2: Nov. 5-Dec. 17, 3:15-4:15 pm

Students will learn to build a train layout and develop basic engineering skills that integrate science, math, general problem solving, and organizational skills. Led by Robert Erman of the Shoreline Model Railroad Club.

CLICK HERE to see the fall 2019 After School Class Schedule.

IMPORTANT REMINDER — The $95 fee and permission slip for high school students to attend our Spiritual Emphasis Retreat at America’s Keswick on Monday and Tuesday is due tomorrow — Friday, September 13. The Permission Slip is available in the school office and was emailed to parents and guardians on September 4. Payment of the Retreat Fee can be done by sending in a check with your student or paying online.

The Retreat Fee includes the overnight stay in the America’s Keswick conference facilities, four meals, transportation, activities, and a T-shirt. If payment of the fee presents a financial hardship, please contact Mrs. Kelly Flyyn, Business Administrator, at kflynn@acseht.org or 609-653-1199, ext. 313.

We’re looking forward to a great time for spiritual growth, team building, and focusing on our spiritual development theme from Romans 12:2 — to be transformed by the renewing of our minds with the truth in God’s Word. Please contact Mrs. McHale with any questions at mmchale@acseht.org or 609-653-1199, ext. 309.

CLICK HERE to pay online for the high school retreat fee. A separate Permission Slip needs to be filled out and sent in for your child to attend the retreat.

This Friday, September 13 is the last day to place your order for an ACS Spiritwear Sweatshirt. The order form is posted on the ACS website on the Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) page under the “Parents” tab and can be printed, filled out, and sent into the school office with payment. PTF members will also be taking orders at a table at the Back-to-School BBQ on Friday.

The SpiritWear feature the school name, logo, and Cougar paw and are available as an ACS hoodie or crewneck sweatshirt in green or gray. Prices range from $22-$30, depending on the item and size. The SpiritWear sweatshirt is for ACS families, with sizes available from preschool to adult. SpiritWear is also approved apparel that can be worn by students during the school day.

CLICK HERE to view and print out the SpiritWear order form.

The last day for 10th and 11th grade students to register for the PSAT Test is this coming Monday, September 16. Registration forms are available in the school office and online. The cost is $20.

ACS recommends that every 10th and 11th grade student take the PSAT, which helps them prepare for the SAT and gives them the opportunity to be entered into various college scholarship programs. ACS will administer this PSAT test on Wednesday, October 16.

CLICK HERE for the online PSAT test registration form.

It’s not too late for students in middle school or high school to sign up to take a cooking class elective this semester, a great way to learn an important life skill. The class is being taught by Mrs. Tammy Thornton. Students have until Monday, September 23 to drop or add a class to their schedules.

The high school “Culinary Arts” elective is on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7th period, and the middle school “Cooking” elective is on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8th period. Students can obtain a drop/add form in the school office or in Mrs. DeNick’s office. The form must be signed by a parent and submitted to Upper School Principal Meg McHale.

The ACS Junior Class is hosting a Christian Skate Night skating party on Saturday, September 28 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Young’s Skating Center (763 Park Road, Mays Landing). ACS families and friends are welcome to attend. Tickets are $8 in advance and can be purchased in the school office or from Mr. Genter. Tickets will also be sold for $10 at the door. Maximum price for an immediate family will be $20. Skate rental is an additional cost. All proceeds will benefit the Junior Class fund for its Senior Trip.

The Box Tops for Education program is going digital. Participating brands began changing their packaging from a physical Box Tops clip to the new Box Tops icon (see image here).  The new “NO MORE CLIPPING” Box Tops icon is now on the majority of the participating products.

To participate in the new digital program, you will need to download the “Box Tops for Education” app on your mobile phone, register, and select Atlantic Christian School.  The next and final step is to scan your receipt that contains a Box Tops product. Atlantic Christian will earn 10 cents for each Box Tops product purchased. The app will automatically add Box Tops to our school’s earnings online. 

Please note that Box Tops will continue to honor all physical clips until they reach their expiration dates so you can keep clipping regular Box Tops and sending them in to the school as long as you continue to find them on packages.  Box Tops will also allow double dipping during the transition period — so you can clip the physical Box Tops AND scan your receipt. A few brands may not be participating in the double dip. The app will give you a message that they are “clip only” in

Scouts with the ACS Cub Pack 389 and Boy Scout Troop 389 participated in a joyous event on Tuesday, September 10 at the Longport Municipal Building that welcomed and honored a wounded warrior and his family. The event was part of the 8th annual “Wounded Warrior Week” organized by the American Legion Post 469 in Longport.

The ACS scouts joined other community members to welcome retired U.S. Navy Seal Joseph Hahn, his wife, Morgan, and their four sons, who currently reside in Oklahoma. The American Legion Post 469 gifted Hahn an all-expenses-paid vacation in Longport. Hahn served two tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. He was medically retired in 2017 and received the Purple Heart and several other awards. The ACS scouts had the opportunity to meet Hahn and his family and thank them for their service to the country. Pictured above are Cub Scouts Brandon Jorgenson and Zane Westervelt, Boy Scouts Jacob Campsmith and Hunter Jorgenson, and Cubmaster Carrie Jorgenson.

The ACS scouts meet on Monday nights from 7:00-8:30 pm in the Annex Trailers. Representatives from the Pack and Troop will be at the Back-to-School Nights in September.

We welcome all of our ACS families and staff to attend our 16th annual Back-to-School BBQ this Friday, September 13, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. The BBQ menu will include hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled BBQ chicken and pork, baked beans, salads, and desserts, with games and activities for our students to enjoy. The cost is $5 per person with a cap of $20 per family (immediate family members only). Tickets can be pre-purchased in the school office or at the BBQ. Hope to see you there!

I am pleased to welcome you to the 2019-2020 school year! This marks our 49th year in Christian education in southern New Jersey and we praise God that we are making history this year with the highest number of students ever enrolled at the start of the school year — 497 students!

Our faculty and staff are excited about the new year and are focused on creating a loving, caring environment for every student and training each one in the truth of God’s Word.

We thank God to be welcoming back close to 90% of our students from last year and to be building new relationships with 113 new students. We had our largest-ever New Family Orientation Dinner on August 29 — a great time of fellowship as we welcomed everyone to the ACS family. We also continue to welcome students from other countries — 14 high school students who hail from Belgium, China, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Please pray with us that every student at ACS will come to know God, put their trust in Him, and choose to follow Him all the days of their lives.

Over the summer, our Cougar Camp and Early Education Center both received special recognition in the 2019 Best of the Press Reader’s Choice Awards. Cougar Camp received a “Best of the Press” Silver Award and the Early Education received a “Best Top Five” in the Child Daycare Center category. Thank you to everyone who voted to help ACS achieve this important recognition.

As the school year gets underway, I encourage every school family to get involved in ACS. There are many ways to serve and share your unique talents and abilities. Some of the many volunteer opportunities include serving on the Parent Teacher Fellowship Board, being a Room Parent, selling concessions at athletic games, helping with set-up and service during lunch, and assisting with school fundraisers. The ACS family is stronger when all of us come together to make ACS a beacon of light in our community.

What does it mean to “Be Transformed”? Students began exploring the answer to that question during the first Friday chapels of the school year on September 6. Elementary Principal Gail Alford and Upper School Principal Meg McHale spoke during the elementary and middle school/high school chapels about the meaning of our 2019-2020 Spiritual Development Theme drawn from Romans 12:2.

Alford and McHale shared that by digging deep into the truth in God’s Word every student will be changed or transformed in the way they think, act, talk, and treat each other. When we are thinking Biblically, we will act differently. “We live in the world, but when you are following Christ you’re not of the world and you don’t belong to the world,” McHale said. “By learning the truth in God’s Word you will know what is right and good in the eyes of God and will be free from the lies that the world is telling you.”

The Spiritual Development Theme and verse are being prominently displayed on posters and on bulletin boards throughout the school building. Faculty and staff wore T-shirts promoting the theme on the first day of school and students and families will be able to obtain T-shirts with the theme.

Please pray with us that our students will grow closer in their relationship with God throughout this year as they encounter lessons and activities focused on being transformed by the power of God and His Word.

Travis and Allegra Lee of the Travis Lee Band will lead uplifting worship and dig deep into God’s Word to challenge our high school students to grow spiritually at our fall Spiritual Emphasis Retreat on September 16 and 17. A parent permission slip and payment of the $95 retreat fee must be submitted by Wednesday, September 12.

The two-day retreat will be held at America’s Keswick in Whiting, New Jersey, and will include team building activities, a recreation center with basketball courts, racquetball, volleyball, and swimming pool, and outdoor activities such as canoeing and a bonfire. The retreat is an annual ACS tradition and a great way for our faculty and students to build relationships with each other.

Upper School Principal Meg McHale emailed high school parents with information about the retreat on September 4 and the retreat permission slip was attached to that email. The retreat fee, which includes the overnight stay in conference facilities, four meals, transportation, activities, and a T-shirt, may be paid online or by check to ACS. Contact Mrs. McHale with any questions at mmchale@acseht.org or 609-653-1199, ext. 309.

CLICK HERE to register and pay online for the high school retreat fee.

We invite all of our ACS families to make plans to attend our annual family Back-to-School BBQ on Friday, September 13, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. We will have hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled BBQ chicken, water ice, and much more, with games and activities for our students to enjoy. The cost is $5 per person with a cap of $20 per family (immediate family members only). Tickets can be pre-purchased in the school office or at the BBQ.

Auditions for the school musical, Annie, Jr., will be held on Tuesday, September 10 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room. Choose your one-hour time slot to audition by using the online registration form on the ACS website.

All ages of students from the 1st to 12th grades are needed, both boys and girls. Director Amy Culleny is looking forward to working again with ACS students on what will be an exciting production. Auditions may take more than an hour if it gets backed up, so Ms. Culleny asks for everyone to be flexible. Each student who auditions must be signed out from the Multi-Purpose Room when being picked up.

CLICK HERE to register to audition.

ACS will be administering the PSAT Test on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 to any interested 10th or 11th grade student. The registration form and a fee of $20 must be submitted by Monday, September 16 to Mrs. DeNick. A paper copy of the registration form is available in the school office or can be completed and submitted online and paid with a credit card.

Taking the PSAT test helps students gain valuable feedback about their academic skills, helps them prepare for the SAT, and gives them the opportunity to be entered into various college scholarship programs. We recommend that every 10th and 11th grade student take the PSAT.

CLICK HERE for the online PSAT test registration form.

We welcome everyone who desires to see God’s name glorified at ACS to come out and be part of the ACS Parents in Prayer Group. The first prayer meeting of this school year will be on Tuesday, September 10 from 8:45-9:45 a.m. in Room 223. Please go to the school office for a Visitor’s Pass before going to Room 223.

The goal of the prayer group is to ask God to move at every level of the school, to work in the hearts of our students and their families and in the lives of everyone connected to ACS. We will be praying that our young people will grow in their faith and that their lives will be transformed by God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. We will be praying that our entire school community would live their lives devoted to one another in love, through Jesus, to the glory of God.

Any questions? Please contact group leader and alumni parent Sharon Griffith at 609-214-2136.

The fall schedule of After-School classes is finalized and there is something for everyone. The first classes that will start next week are Beginning and Intermediate Band. STEAM-focused classes will include art, model railroading, and Snapology Lego. To promote the benefits of health and exercise, there are classes in cheerleading, gymnastics, karate, and soccer.

Beginning Band for 4th graders will be held on Tuesdays, starting September 10, and Intermediate Band for 5th-12th graders will start on Thursday, September 12. Both classes are free and run from 3:15-4:15 pm. Check the schedule for the start dates and any fees for the other classes being offered this fall. Registration flyers will be sent home with students closer to the start dates of the various classes.

CLICK HERE to see the fall schedule of after-school classes.

Students and parents were welcomed with smiles and hugs by faculty, staff, and our Cougar mascot as they arrived by car and school bus on the first day of school on September 4. Our 2019-2020 school year is off to a great start, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store!

Students in Kindergarten and in the Senior Class posed for special pictures to mark the day as a milestone in their lives.

Family members also enjoyed taking photos in front of a new ACS photo backdrop set up at the main school entrance.

Thank you to members of our Parent-Teacher Fellowship for being part of the welcome team and serving up hot coffee and pastries. 

CLICK HERE to view the web photo gallery.

Want to spread the inspiring Biblical message of our 2019 Spiritual Development Theme in our community? ACS is now offering a new T-shirt in our school colors with the “Be Transformed: Think Biblically, Act Differently” logo image for purchase by parents and supporters of ACS.

Order forms are available in the school office and online, and will be sent home with students next week. Orders will also be taken at the Back-to-School BBQ and the Back-to-School Nights. The deadline to place an order is Friday, September 27. The price of the T-shirts will be $15 each for sizes Small to X-Large and $18 each for 2XL and above.

Please note that the T-shirts are not for ACS students and are not approved school attire.

CLICK HERE to view and print out the T-shirt order form.

Excitement was in the air as ACS welcomed new students and their families at our Early Education and Kindergarten Open House and our 1st-12th grade Orientation and Dinner on August 29. Our teachers enjoyed meeting their students and family members at dinner held in the gym and during classroom visits.

Members of the Board Directors greeted new parents as they served the food in the buffet dinner and Board Chair Les Tomlinson lifted up ACS in prayer, asking God to bless and guide our students, families, and staff as they start the new school year.

Faculty and staff members Jaron Beadle, Kelly Flynn, and Bill Smallwood led a time of worship and Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen welcomed the new families and introduced the teachers seated with families throughout the gym and members of the administration.

CLICK HERE for a photo gallery of EE/K Open House and the New Family Orientation.

Show your school spirit with an ACS Spiritwear Sweatshirt. The Parent-Teacher Fellowship is taking orders until Friday, September 13. The SpiritWear sweatshirt is for ACS families, with sizes available from preschool to adult. SpiritWear is also approved apparel that can be worn by students during the school day.

The SpiritWear feature the school name, logo, and Cougar paw and are available as an ACS hoodie or crewneck sweatshirt in green or gray. Prices range from $22-$30, depending on the item and size.

PTF members will be taking orders at the Back-to-School BBQ on September 13. The order form is also posted on the ACS website on the Parent Teacher Fellowship page under the “Parents” tab and can be printed, filled out, and sent into the school office with payment.

CLICK HERE to view and print out the SpiritWear order form.