On Thursday, February 15, students in grades 9-12 will take part in the Re-Engage event during the school day. The event will feature a keynote address by Pastor Urick Lewis and then students will attend breakout sessions on various topics led by other special speakers. This event will include a special time of worship and prayer aimed at reinvigorating their connection with the Lord.
We invite all pastoral staff, youth and worship leaders, and Sunday school teachers to attend our Pastor Appreciation Day at ACS on Thursday, February 22. The event will include breakfast and a student-led chapel. Invitations are being mailed to local churches. Please feel free to forward the invitation below to your church pastor.
Athletic Director Dan Vasquez shared the outstanding achievements of our varsity basketball teams in the season opener. “The girls’ team clinched victories in two tournaments, namely DELCO and the Doane Spartan Classic, winning an impressive 5-0 overall record. They continued their streak by winning the conference opener against Gloucester County Christian.
Our boys’ team mirrored this success by winning the DELCO tournament, marking the first instance in the school’s history where both boys and girls secured victories in the same tournament. Although they endured challenging losses at the Boardwalk Classic in Wildwood over Christmas break, the boys bounced back with a triumphant conference opener against Gloucester County Christian, and a record of 3-3.
The Varsity Basketball Team Rosters are listed below:
Middle School Teams Excellence:
The positive momentum extends to our middle school teams as well. The boys’ team has a commendable 4-2 record, while the girls, under the guidance of our new coach Dakota Keller, are showcasing great potential with a 4-2 record. Keller’s impact on the girls’ team is notable, and we are optimistic about their continued growth under her leadership.
Below are the Middle School Basketball Team Rosters:
The second-grade students of Mrs. Hockenberry and Mrs Harrison explored animal habitats. From polar bears and penguins to snakes and frogs, these young learners created imaginative three-dimensional dioramas in a winter science project.
These dioramas were completed by January 18 and are now on display in the hallway outside the 2nd-grade classrooms. Along with building these creative dioramas, students presented informative oral reports about their chosen animals and habitats.
“The students did an excellent job with their projects. I especially enjoyed watching them discover how an animal can be at risk when its habitat is disturbed or if something vital to them is harmed or taken away. God entrusted us with the care of animals, and it’s our responsibility to nurture and protect the environment to ensure their survival,” shared Mrs. Hockenberry.
Thirteen girls from grades 6-12 joined Mrs. Hahn-Chaney on Thursdays for the first semester costume club/fashion design elective. This weekly class was focused on developing costumes for the Beauty and the Beast play last fall, as well as for the elementary Christmas cantata, Hotel Noel.
The final weeks in this elective were focused on promoting school spirit and participating in themed dress-down days such as the ugly sweater contest in December and green and white days in January. Mrs. Hahn-Chaney sewed white knit headbands for the students to embellish with green puff paint and fabric markers to create a unique accessory, particularly to wear to our school basketball games. Some painted on basketball shapes, and others cut and glued paw prints from green felt to cheer on the Cougars and Lady Cougars! Last week, the group created green and white garlands that can be worn as necklaces, using torn strips of printed cotton fabric.
We are excited to see what the next school play will be so our costume department can contribute to the drama department again in 2024!
Join us this Saturday for ACS Missions Club’s Christian Skate Night, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Young’s Skating Center (763 Park Road, Mays Landing, NJ).
Tickets are $15 in advance and can be purchased online at https://bit.ly/ChristianSkateNight2024, at the ACS Front Desk, or from Mr. Genter. Tickets will also be sold for $17 at the door. The maximum price for an immediate family will be $50. Skate rental is an additional cost of $3. Proceeds benefit the ACS Missions Club.
Excitement is in the air as Spirit Week approaches at Atlantic Christian School! Spirit Week will be on February 5 – 9, 2024. This is the perfect time to showcase your school spirit and have a blast with your fellow classmates. We encourage each and every one of you to join in the festivities and make Spirit Week memorable.
Here’s a sneak peek at the dress themes for each day:
Participating in Spirit Week is a fantastic way to connect with your classmates, build a sense of community, and earn prizes. Don’t miss out on the fun – mark your calendars and start planning your outfits now!
We’re excited to announce the upcoming High School Valentine’s Dance on Saturday, February 3, 2024, from 6 – 9 pm. It’s a night filled with fun, food, and dancing. The event is open to students from 9th – 12th grades. For any questions or to buy tickets, please reach out to Mrs. Wilson in Room 213 or gwilson@acseht.org. All ACS students and outside guests must have a signed permission slip and all dresses must be submitted to Mrs. Ragland for prior approval.
Support ACS Athletics at Applebee’s Dining to Donate on February 7. When you dine at Applebee’s in Somers Point that day, 15% of your check goes to Atlantic Christian School’s Athletic Department. You can dine anytime between 11 am to close. Please present the flyer below to your server when you order.
Get ready to spread some Christmas cheer as we gear up for our Christmas Dress Down Days from Monday, December 18 to Friday, December 22! It’s time to showcase your festive spirit by participating in our daily themed dress-ups. We can’t wait to see the creativity and holiday joy you bring to each themed day. Get ready to make memories and enjoy the festive fun throughout the week!
Join us at our “One Christmas Night” festival for ACS students, staff, and their families this Friday, December 1, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. It’s a special time to celebrate the joy and hope of Christmas with indoor and outdoor fun for all ages, craft and food vendors, and musical performances by our students.
While tickets aren’t required for entry, they are needed for specific activities, such as inflatables, the hayride, pony ride, petting zoo, face painting, magic show, balloon characters, and Christmas crafts. This year, we’ve added new activities for kids ages 10 and up: the LED Volleyball Game and Laser Tag. Enjoy free activities like a live nativity, fire pits with s’mores, a photo booth, and Christmas movies. Food trucks and Christmas gift vendors will also be present.
Wristbands providing unlimited access to activities are $10, and tickets are $2 each. Both can be purchased at the school office or at the event.
The 4th Grade Chorale, 5th Grade Chorale, Elementary Band, Upper School Band, and Middle School and High School Worship Teams will be performing Christmas music throughout the evening at various locations.
“We invite all of our parents, students, and staff to come out to celebrate the birth of our Savior and participate in the many fun activities we have planned,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “Last year, over 1,000 people attended and we expect even more this year. It’s a great way to kick off the Christmas season.”
On Sunday, November 19th, twenty seven juniors and seniors headed to Washington DC with four of our teachers, Daniel Vasquez, Paul Jones, Laura Mills and Audra Williams for a 3-day Student Leadership Conference sponsored by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
Schools from all over the East Coast traveled to Washington, DC to hear from national speakers on a variety of current issues and worship collectively. During this conference, they spent time focused on bringing clarity to the biblical definition of identity, the purpose of relationships, and the path forward. The excursion this year was to Arlington National Cemetery where they witnessed the changing of the guards, had the opportunity to walk around the grounds and learn about the history of the cemetery. They worshiped, they were in fellowship and they were able to gain clarity around who they are in Christ.
High School Missions Club students eagerly anticipate their upcoming missions trip to Belize during Easter Break, where they aim to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus. The club successfully raised over $6,000 by providing parking on the ACS campus for attendees of the Pumpkin Run Car Show and Flea Market at Flemings Junkyard.
Currently, students are reaching out to family, friends, and local churches to seek financial and prayer support for their missions trips. The per-person cost for the Belize trip is $2,250. The club, under the guidance of Missions Club Advisor and faculty member Dave Genter, plans to participate in One Christmas Night’s live nativity to raise additional funds and organize spring fundraisers, including a car wash and family skate night.
Students embarking on the Belize missions trip will engage in various service activities, such as helping the elderly with home repairs, evangelism, working with local teens, and leading a Vacation Bible School at a local church.
If you wish to support the ACS mission teams, you can do so by visiting https://acseht.org/giving/online-donation-form. Choose the appropriate mission trip under the gift category section and, in a separate fill-in box, specify a Missions Club member’s name or the Missions Club. All contributions are tax-deductible.
Since 2008, approximately 350 students have participated in ACS missions trips, gaining firsthand experience in the joy of serving God by serving others. For more information, please contact Missions Club Advisor Dave Genter at dgenter@acseht.org.
In Mrs. Evelyn Altier’s sixth-grade class, instead of the usual solar system project, something exciting happened. She let the students design their own planet.
The main goal was simple: learn more about the solar system and make a planet with living things, plants, and water. The students had a blast putting what they learned in class into action, creating cool planets of their own. We’ve got some pictures of the students and their planets to share below!
There were lots of smiles and hugs as our students from preschool to high school welcomed their grandparents to our campus on Wednesday, November 22, for our annual Grandparent Appreciation Day.
Over 500 grandparents attended the event and were able to visit with students and attend chapel, featuring performances from our Kindergarten Classes, 5th Grade Worship Team, and PK4 Classes.
ACS Grandparents William and Brenda Maurer delivered the chapel’s special message. Grandparents to seven ACS students, the Maurers thanked ACS for coming alongside their commitment to raising their grandchildren in the Christian faith. Brenda Maurer, also an ACS Lunchroom volunteer, encouraged everyone to volunteer and witness what she herself observed – how teachers, staff, and other volunteers pour into the lives of the students at ACS on a daily basis.
Thank you, grandparents, for joining us at the event and for the vital role you play in shaping the lives of our students.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at Red Robin in Mays Landing for Spirit Night! ACS Athletics raised $ 436.00 from that event! We are grateful for the support of our school community. Thanks for supporting ACS Athletics!
The ACS Varsity Soccer Teams competed in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference (TSCAC) Championships on Saturday, November 4 hosted by Cairn University in Langhorne, PA. Both teams played their best and gave it all out on the field. We are proud of both teams. The presence of our supportive family and fans cheering on our Cougars was very encouraging and appreciated. The Boys’ team came into the playoffs with an undefeated record in conference play. This is the third year in a row that the Boys’ team advanced to the Championship Game. ACS played hard and led 2-1 deep in the second half with goals from Malachi Vasquez and Adam Schlundt. However, Pilgrim Academy scored in the last three minutes to tie the game 2-2 and send it into overtime. Pilgrim then scored in the last 47 seconds of OT to win this game 3-2.
Our Varsity Girls upset Calvary Academy 2-0 in the quarterfinals and then lost in the semifinals to Kings Christian 2-0. ACS competed in a challenging Consolation Game against Gloucester County Christian School and lost 3-0 to finish in 4th place.
Our TSCAC league also honored the following ACS players at the end of the Championships. ACS Senior Manny Johnson was named TSCAC Most Valuable Player (MVP) for this season. Eight of our players were named to the All-Star teams. For the Boys’ team Manny Johnson, Noah Gibbs, Malachi Vasquez and James Papanikolau were named to the 1st team and Chase Leach was named to the 2nd team. For our Girls’ team Rebecca Kelley and Sophia Johnson were named 1st team All-Stars and Kaia Barbour was named to 2nd team All-Stars.
We want to give special thanks to our Coaches Daniel Vasquez and Dakota Keller for their dedication in training our athletics to work hard, perform well and honor God both on and off the field.
Save the Date and invite your family and friend’s to our Veteran’s Day Appreciation Breakfast and Chapel on Thursday, November 2, 2023. To RSVP, please email Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz at cdelacruz@acseht.org or call (609) 653-1199 ext. 302
Our 21st annual Race for Education fall fundraiser will be held on Friday, October 27. Race fundraising packets will be sent home next week with PreK3-8th grade students. Let’s work together and reach out to our family members, friends, and local businesses to make this fundraiser our most successful ever.
Throughout Race Day on Friday, October 27, students in various grade-level groups will walk, run, or jog around our track for a 30-minute period, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To add to the fun, the Middle School race will incorporate an obstacle course.
We are once again using a Race website where everyone can donate online. Parents, students, and teachers can participate by sending an email to people you know asking them to be a Race sponsor and giving them the link to our fundraising website — WWW.RACE4ED.COM/ACS
Sponsors can give any amount, but if they donate $50 or more, a special Race sneaker sign with the sponsor’s name and the name of the student they are sponsoring will be posted on a school hallway wall and in a classroom as a sign of support. Donors can also be a “Classroom Sponsor” (for a gift of $200) or an “Event Sponsor” (for a gift of $400). Individual yard signs with the names/logos of Classroom and Event sponsors will be placed around the edge of the track on Race Day to encourage all of our runners. In addition, the names/logos of our “Event Sponsors” will go on a banner hung at the school for the week prior to and on Race Day.
CLICK HERE to make a Race donation.
Below is the video recap of last year’s Race for Education
Join us for the enchanting story of “Beauty and the Beast JR.” performed by ACS students in 3rd – 12th grade. There will be three performances: November 17 at 7 p.m. and November 18 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Prepare for a captivating performance! Keep an eye out for our ticket and sponsorship online form, coming soon.
What a wonderful summer it has been! Our Cougar Camp concluded the summer season last Friday, August 25, with a Parent Night, during which our students had the joy of performing before their parents. We also took the opportunity to introduce our dedicated camp counselors and share a brief recap video of the memorable moments.
Beyond the exciting weekly themes, enjoyable lake days, engaging activities, and weekly Pastor Time, our campers had the privilege of visiting fun destinations such as the Regal Movie Theater, Cape May Zoo, Birch Grove Park, Lucy the Elephant, Cape May Lighthouse, Beesley’s Point Beach, and the Naval Air Station in Wildwood.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our Camp Director, Dyane Mathias, our counselors, volunteers, and pastors from different local churches for contributing to making this summer a truly memorable one for our campers. To our campers, we pray that you have a great school year, and we hope to see you again next summer!
It was Back-to-School for our teachers and staff on August 28-29 as they reflected on this year’s theme verse during the devotion led by Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen during the first day of in-service. Following devotions, Karen Oblen welcomed and introduced new faculty and staff for this school year and named a number of staff who have changed positions since last year.
Eighteen new teachers and staff (pictured on the right) have joined the ACS family this year: Flor Aiuto and Kira Murdock (PreK-2); Sierrah Thomas (PreK-3); Lisa Tomlinson (Early Ed Aide); Grace Staples (Kindergarten), Jeannie Pincus and Devon Bernardino (1st Grade); Rebecca Hund (3rd Grade); Sam Schriever (4th Grade); Katherine Vega (Elementary/Middle School Spanish); Dakota Keller (EE and Elementary PE); Scott Carr (Middle School Bible); Shauna Shull (Middle School Science); Matthew Glancey (High School Bible); Audra Williams (Upper School Business); George Quinn (Upper School Science); and Alex Reyes and Darren Martin (Facilities).
Twelve ACS faculty and staff members returning from last year are wearing new hats this year. Cookie Chambers (PreK-3); Michelle Wheeler and Robin Genter (PreK-4); Ruby Lewis (Kindergarten); Ashley Vaccaro (1st Grade); Olivia Leach (3rd Grade); Bethany Kiefer (5th Grade); Paul Jones (Upper School Bible); Dena Johnson (Upper School Spanish); Genevieve Huff (Art Teacher); Linda Stiteler (Resource Room); PJ Santos (Director of Development and Communication); and Dan Vasquez (Athletic Director and Dean of Students).
The new teachers attended the Professional Development sessions focused on integrating a Biblical worldview into everything students will learn in the classroom, led by Dr. Bryan Smith and Becky Teruel of Bob Jones University Press. ACS Instructional Support Specialist and 5th Grade Teacher, Bethany Kiefer led training sessions on Curriculum Trak, the school’s software on curriculum mapping. Other sessions focused on visual communication tools, discipline, school safety, classroom management, and office procedures. In break-out sessions, ACS elementary and upper school faculty members dug deeper into the BJU curriculum that will be used in classrooms this year to facilitate integrating a Biblical worldview into every subject.
Fusion Church in Egg Harbor Township also blessed ACS with a donation of 80 gift bags filled with school supplies, delivered by outreach volunteer Anne Dice and the Alphonse family. On Tuesday, August 30, the ACS Board of Directors treated faculty and staff to a continental breakfast, with Board member Kris Jacoby leading the devotion. The Parent-Teacher Fellowship also showed their appreciation for the faculty and staff by hosting lunch that day.
Please keep each of our new and returning faculty and staff members in prayer and may God be exalted and honored in everything we do.
ACS marked its 30th Commencement on June 9 with various speakers urging the 29 students in the Class of 2023 to draw upon the Biblical values and lessons learned at ACS, to use their gifts and abilities to serve God, and to seek God’s wisdom and strength as they begin the next chapter of their lives.
“It is my prayer that each of your dreams will be realized and that you will continue to make a difference in the world,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, who welcomed the parents, faculty, staff, and friends to the ceremony held in the school gym that was also live-streamed on the ACS YouTube channel. “The seeds of God’s Word have been planted in you here. Now go out and do God’s work.”
Commencement keynote speaker Christian Delacruz, the ACS Event Coordinator and a middle school and high school Bible teacher, encouraged the graduates to be bold in their faith and to seek to know God intimately. “As you move out into the world and seek to fulfill your dreams, understand that there is no secure foundation except in Christ alone.”
Salutatorian Reyna Lewis, 18, of Egg Harbor Township, noted that it took years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance for her and her fellow classmates to make it to graduation day, and thanked ACS teachers and family members for the important role that they played. “When faced with problems or trials, we were always encouraged to go to God because He is the one who gives us wisdom, love, understanding, and strength,” Lewis said. She finished with a 4.11 GPA and will be attending the University of Notre Dame to major in biochemistry.
Valedictorian Paige Noble, 18, of Egg Harbor Township, challenged her classmates to make the most of every opportunity and new experience. “We only live one life and we need to live that life for Jesus most of all,” Noble said. “God will do extraordinary things if we are looking for Him to use us. God needs to use us in His plan, not our own.” Noble, who achieved a 4.22 GPA, will be attending Cairn University and is considering majoring in math education, marketing, or sports management.
Three talented seniors who were members of the High School Worship Team — Daniella Ajayi, Tommy Ellison, Jr., and Jada Logan — presented special music during the program, performing “Time of Our Lives” by Tyrone Wells. Ajayi will be attending Howard University, where she plans to major in health sciences and minor in psychology. Ellison will be attending Liberty University, where he plans to major in nursing and minor in music therapy. Logan will be attending Temple University, where she plans to major in computer science.
Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, Upper School Principal Meg McHale, and Board of Directors’ Chair Les Tomlinson participated in the presentation of the diplomas to the graduates. After receiving their diplomas, the graduates stepped out into the audience to present their parents and guardians with long stemmed roses as a gesture of gratitude.
As each graduate was introduced, McHale announced the various awards and scholarships that students had received. She noted that the Class of 2023 was collectively receiving $790,000 in college scholarships, after being offered $1.14 million from the schools they applied to. One graduate plans to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Board of Directors Chair Pastor Les Tomlinson gave a closing charge to the graduates in his benediction at the close of the ceremony — Go out in joy, in confidence, in strength, in wisdom, in love with kindness and blessings to give away, use your studies to bless God’s beautiful world, and go out with freedom, knowing there so much more to see and enjoy.
Photo credits: Gail Crafton, AC Photo. The ACS Commencement can also be viewed on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@ACSEHT
ACS celebrated the many achievements of our sixty-six 8th grade students, the largest 8th grade class in the school’s 52-year history, and offered prayers of encouragement and affirmation at a “Blessing Ceremony” on June 13 in the school’s gymnasium. Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen welcomed and thanked the parents and families for choosing a Christian education founded on a Biblical worldview and encouraged the students to strengthen their relationship with the Lord as they move into high school.
“I pray today, and over this summer, that you make up your mind to be steadfast in your relationship with the Lord and with your future education,” Oblen said. “Remember the importance of a strong start, the importance of persevering through, even when it’s hard, and to run the race with endurance and to finish well.”
The ceremony then got underway the way every school day begins — with the reciting of pledges to the American flag, the Christian flag, and the Bible and with prayer. Three 8th graders — Joshua Maxwell, Alexis Shropshire, and Kaylee Tardif — led the pledges and Cylas Finx gave the opening prayer. The Valedictorian of the Class of 2023, Paige Noble, then gave a challenge to the 8th graders — to use your talents and abilities to glorify God and “to focus on what God thinks about you, and not what your classmates think about you.”
Two middle school teachers participated in the program to give parting words of advice. Social studies teacher Amy Parker and literature teacher Linda Stiteler encouraged the students to seek God’s purpose for their lives and to let Him guide their steps as they move on to high school.
Oblen and Upper School Principal Meg McHale presided over the presentation of scholarships and awards that recognized students for their accomplishments in academics, citizenship, and displaying Christian character. Athletic Director Pam Hitchner presented students with physical fitness awards.
On behalf of the Parent-Teacher Fellowship, PTF President Terry Vogel presented a devotional and a gift card to 16 students in the class who had attended ACS since kindergarten. Vogel said the gifts were a way of saying thank you to the families who had made a long-term commitment to Christian education. Vogel also announced the winners of the PTF Christian Service Scholarship, an essay-writing contest that focused on the question — what does Jesus say about serving others and what impact has serving others made on your life? She noted that 22 students submitted very well-written essays and the PTF board decided to give each student a $100 credit to apply toward tuition next year.
After the students received their awards and certificates of completion, a quartet of 8th graders from the Middle School Worship Team — Ashlee Alford, Abigail Kelley, Isabella Santos, and Rowynn Shevlin — performed a soulful rendition of “Make Room,” followed by the middle school faculty and staff surrounding the students seated on the stage as faculty member Dan Vasquez offered a prayer of blessing. After remarks from Principal McHale, 8th grader Luke Odell closed the program in prayer.
Following is a list of the special awards and scholarships that were presented to students in the 8th grade class:
Congratulations future class of 2027! Photo credit: John Loreaux.
Hundreds of family members, friends, faculty, and staff gathered to celebrate a successful year of learning and growing at our Kindergarten Graduation on June 12 and at our Early Education Promotion Program on June 13. The programs, filled with smiles and songs and high-fives, allowed students to demonstrate their accomplishments and praise God for His faithfulness throughout the school year.
At the action-packed Kindergarten Graduation, the students delighted the audience with a series of skits and songs that told the story of a day in the life of kindergarten. Early Education Director and Elementary Principal Gail Alford then presided over the presentation of diplomas to 52 kindergarten students, who proudly posed with their white graduation caps.
Kindergarten teachers Holly McCrosson, Julie Reilly, and Ashley Vaccaro presented their students with special awards for academic achievement, Christian character, Bible verse memorization, math, art, technology and Spanish. Kindergartener Austin Samuels gave the closing prayer.
At the lively Early Education Program, family members and friends smiled and clapped along as each of the classes, from PreK2 to PreK4, performed songs they had learned this past year and moved to the music — including “This Little Light of Mine,” “God of Creation,” “I am a Promise,” and “Good In Every Way.”
There were lots of smiles and hugs as our PreK4 teachers, Robin Genter, Jennifer Kelley, and Jessica Samuels, presented promotion certificates to their students. The program concluded with a message and prayer by Teresa Bird, Assistant Director of the ACS Early Education Center.
Photo credits: Mary Winkel Roesch and Gail Crafton, AC Photo