Time flies! On Friday, February 7, Atlantic Christian School elementary grades K-3rd celebrated the 100th day of the school year by dressing up in “100-year-old” costumes complete with wigs, glasses, canes, walkers, and even a wheelchair! It’s no secret that students and teachers alike count down the school days each year. We thank the Lord for our “young at heart” teachers who go all out for their students every day!
ACS and other Christian schools in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference are combining their efforts to support families dealing with cancer with a “Coaches vs. Cancer” campaign. Donations and gate fees collected at the February 3 middle school and high school basketball home games and at the Tuesday, February 11 home JV and Varsity games against Gloucester County Christian School will be donated to the TSCAC campaign.
Special T-shirts are being worn by ACS basketball players and cheerleaders at these games to support the cause. Income from the sale of the T-shirts is also being donated to the campaign.
Athletic Director Pam Hitchner said the funds collected this year will go to two families who have family members undergoing cancer treatment. One family is affiliated with Calvary Academy. The other recipient will be Kevin Weeks and his family. Mr. Weeks, who resides in Egg Harbor Township, is 31 years old and has six children. He is related to two members of the ACS Varsity basketball team, Aaron and Sam Glancey.
ACS parents, guardians, faculty, staff, and students are invited to come together for a prayer meeting before the start of school on Monday, February 3 from 7:45-8:15 a.m. in the school library.
Please join us as we pray for our school and current issues in our community, state, and country that are impacting Christian families and Christian education.
ACS parents and guardians are also welcome to attend the “Parents in Prayer” group that meets weekly on Tuesdays 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. This prayer group is led by alumni parent Sharon Griffith. Any questions, please contact Sharon at 609-214-2136.
Save the Date! Join us on Thursday, February 13 for an ACS Family Night of Worship and Fellowship from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room. Sponsored by the ACS Parent Teacher Fellowship, this coffeehouse-type event will feature worship music led by ACS parents Ted Dawkins, Kelly Flynn, Shannon Kim, and Lee Martin. Music Director Jaron Beadle and Director of Facilities Bill Smallwood will also be joining the worship team.
Coffee and desserts will be provided by the PTF. This is a free event designed to give ACS parents and grandparents an opportunity to worship and fellowship together. Child care will not be provided. To RSVP, please email PJ Santos at psantos@acseht.org.
Our 4th grade students, with Google Chromebooks in hand, moved up into Mr. Carney’s high school math classroom on Wednesday, January 29 to get a special lesson on coordinate pairs and graphing as part of their unit on geometry.
“We thought it would be a unique and exciting experience for our students to learn about the fundamentals of geometry from our high school math teacher, especially using the technology resources that he uses with his own students,” said 4th grade teacher Mrs. Hoover. “The students had so much fun!” She and 4th grade teacher Mr. Tardif were on hand to advise and assist the students as they used their Chromebooks during the lesson. Mr. Carney’s son, Colton, is also in Mr. Tardif’s class.
Mr. Carney began by having the students use graph paper to draw the x-axis and y-axis lines and then divide the paper into four quadrants. He gave described how to find the coordinate pairs of a given point placed on the graph and then had the students log into the Chromebooks and begin typing the coordinate pair for the given point.
Mrs. Hoover said the students soon learned how to arrive at the correct answer. Mr. Carney ended the lesson with having the students write their own coordinate pairs to form two eyes on a graph that already had a smile mouth showing.
Interested in helping plan and promote the upcoming May 1 ACS Legacy Gala with keynote speaker and performer Mandisa? You’re invited to come out to our first Legacy Gala Committee Meeting on Wednesday, February 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the school library. We need your help with contacting area businesses to be Gala sponsors, advertisers, and Silent Auction donors. We also need volunteers to spread the news about the Gala to our local churches by distributing Gala flyers and posters. And we need volunteers to help the day of the Gala with auction set-up, greeting, and much more. The bigger our Gala team, the more people we can reach about supporting this exciting event for our region.
If you can attend the Gala Committee Meeting, or would like to be involved but cannot attend the meeting, please email PJ Santos, Assistant Director of Development and Communication, at psantos@acseht.org or call 609-653-1199 ext. 302. This is a great opportunity to tell people about the positive impact that Atlantic Christian is having in the lives of our children and to ask them to support our school.
The top three winners of the 1st annual Bowls of Hope Student Video Contest were recognized and awarded gift cards during our MS/HS Chapel on Friday, January 31. The students who submitted the winning entries are, from left — 11th grader Haoshen (Katherine) Kong, 2nd place; 12th grader Mark Rosie, 1st place; and 6th grader Paityn Kates, 3rd place.
The winners were introduced by Upper School Principal Meg McHale and their videos promoting the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off were shown to the students, who applauded and cheered for each video and the students who created them.
To meet the video contest guidelines, each video encouraged people to attend the Cook-Off because it is an event focused on giving back to the community and helping those in need. The proceeds of the Bowls of Hope will go to ACS and the Atlantic City Rescue Mission. The videos also encouraged those who attend to bring canned goods or other non-perishables to donate to the Bowls of Hope Food Drive to benefit the Community FoodBank of NJ, Southern Branch.
The student videos are being posted on Atlantic Christian School’s social media sites on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and will also be shown during the Bowls of Hope on Saturday night.
CLICK HERE to view the 1st place Bowls of Hope video by Mark Rosie.
CLICK HERE to view the 2nd place Bowls of Hope video by Katherine Kong.
CLICK HERE to view the 3rd place Bowls of Hope video by Paityn Kates.
Atlantic Christian School is pleased to offer needs-based Tuition Assistance Grants for the 2020-2021 school year to families with children enrolling in kindergarten through the 12th grade and the online application process opens on Saturday, February 1 on the ACS website. The deadline to apply is May 1. We praise God for the donations that have made it possible to fund this program that gives families with financial need access to a quality Christian education at ACS.
The tuition grants are being made possible through designated gifts from the John F. Fuoco Testamentary Trust, the John C. Allen Charitable Trust, and other donors. In addition to the tuition grants, ACS is also providing a tuition discount to families with multiple K-12 children enrolled. For the 2020-2021 school year, a $1,000 multi-child tuition discount will be applied to the tuition rate for the second oldest child enrolled and to the tuition rate of each additional child after that.
Families must be current on their account to be eligible for tuition assistance grants. FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment will conduct the financial need analysis for ACS. Families applying for tuition assistance must complete a FACTS application and submit the necessary supporting documentation to FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment. There is a non-refundable $35.00 application fee.
Tuition assistance on a needs-basis will only be awarded to returning families who have completed re-enrollment and paid the registration fee by the May 1 deadline. Applications from new families will be considered on a rolling basis throughout the enrollment period.
CLICK HERE to apply for Tuition Assistance Grants for the 2020-2021 school year.
Tickets to Ocean City’s Castaway Cove, Pampered Chef cookware, Thirty-One Gifts bags, gift cards to local restaurants, fitness equipment for your home gym, board games and snacks for family fun nights — these are just some of the great items that will be up for bid at Atlantic Christian School’s Bowls of Hope Silent Auction on Saturday night. Come out and find something special for you and your family and support ACS educational programs with your donation.
There will be 24 Gift Baskets in the Silent Auction. The baskets were created by our PreK4 to 8th grade classrooms and are filled to the brim with items donated by our school families. Thank you so much for your generosity.
There’s something for everyone in the Silent Auction. There’s a gift basket for crafters, baskets for newborn babies, a basket for book lovers and for those who have a green thumb. If you like chocolate or ice cream there are definitely baskets for you. The Silent Auction bidding will begin when the doors open at 6 p.m. for the Bowls of Hope. Bidding will end at 7:45 p.m.
Winning bidders will be able to pay by cash, check, or credit card. Charitable gift receipts will be mailed to winners after the event. There will be a charitable tax deduction for the amount of a winning purchase price that exceeds the fair market value of a gift basket.
Our popular Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off is just one day away — on Saturday, February 1 — from 6-8 p.m. in the school gym. Come out and sample delicious signature soups and be entertained by 34 of our elementary and middle school students as they sing, dance, and play instruments in our Talent Show. ACS high school students will also be volunteering at the event, serving up soup and greeting families and friends.
We are grateful to the 20 restaurants and chefs donating soup and to our 9 Bowls of Hope Sponsors — American Church Group of NJ; B.F. Mazzeo Fruits & Produce; Clayton’s Self Storage; Edward Jones Investments, Jason Kiefer Financial Advisor; Formica Bros. Bakery; H.S. Restoration & Cleaning Service; Klingert Family Chiropractic; Olympic Physical Therapy; and SERVPRO of Egg Harbor/Ventnor City. All proceeds from sponsorships, ticket sales, and donations will benefit the school’s educational programs and the Atlantic City Rescue Mission.
Don’t forget to bring a can of soup or other nonperishable with you to donate to our canned drive that will benefit the Community Food Bank of NJ, Southern Branch. Join us for a fun evening of good food and fellowship and help support our school and two great community organizations!
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets online on the ACS website. Online ticket sales will close at noon on Saturday. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door. Ticket prices are: $20 for Adults, $10 for Students, and $5 for Children 6-10 years of age. Children 5 and under are free.
The excitement is growing for our Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off on Saturday, February 1, with 20 restaurants and chefs on board to participate and compete for the “People’s Choice Golden Spoon Award.” The latest restaurants to sign up are Bahay Kubo, Barrels, Bonterra Market, Carluccio’s, Charlie’s, TacocaT, and The Cheese Board. For one ticket price, attendees will enjoy tasting a variety of hot, delicious soups and can vote for their favorite to receive the “People’s Choice Golden Spoon Award.” Bread, beverages, and desserts will also be provided. The evening will also include a Student Talent Show and a Silent Auction.
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.
FM 94.3 and various radio shows on WOND AM 1400 are helping ACS promote the event and doing ticket give-aways, including “Off the Press with Scott Cronick,” “Shore Local Live,” and “Joe’s Table for Two.”
On Tuesday, January 21, ACS Development and Communications Director Carole Karabashian, and ACS parent Amanda Wyzen-Gregory and ACS grandparent Greg Gregory of Gregory’s Restaurant in Somers Point, were the featured guests on “Off the Press with Scott Cronick” show. Gregory’s Restaurant was the 2019 recipient of the Bowls of Hope Golden Spoon Award for its shrimp and lobster bisque.
Mrs. Karabashian appeared on Friday, January 24 from 7:00-7:30 p.m. on “Shore Local Live” and on Saturday, January 25 on “Joe’s Table for Two” from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., joined by Chef Nicole of Eat Clean Organization, who will be participating in the Bowls of Hope with a coconut lobster bisque.
The prices of the Bowls of Hope tickets, which are considered a charitable, tax-deductible gift, are: Adults-$20; Students-$10; Children (6-10)-$5; Children under 5-Free. Tickets can be purchased online and in the ACS school office. Tickets will also be sold at the door that night.
The themes for the auction gift baskets include “Football Party,” “Baker’s Delight,” and “Family Game Night,” and “Ice Cream Social” donated by our PreK4-8th grade classes. Parents, please note that the collection deadline for all Silent Auction baskets has been extended to Monday, January 27.
There are new after-school programs starting next week! New sessions of Karate, Gymnastics, Snapology and Drama Club for 9th-12th grade students are being offered.
CLICK HERE to see the winter schedule of after-school classes and to download the registration forms.
Online electronic enrollment for the Atlantic Christian School 2020-2021 school year is now underway for returning families. Email messages about re-enrollment were sent out by the Admissions Director on Wednesday, January 22. ACS families with students currently enrolled are being given an exclusive period of time from January 22 until February 19 to secure their child’s space for next year, ahead of the open enrollment period for new families, which will begin after that.
The tuition rates for the 2020-2021 school year were recently approved by the school’s Board of Directors. The new rates are posted on the school’s website under the Admissions tab. ACS families seeking needs-based Tuition Assistance may submit an application online on the school’s website starting on next Saturday, February 1. The deadline for returning families to submit a Tuition Assistance application is May 1, 2020.
Early Education Student Re-enrollment Procedure: To re-enroll an Early Education student, please complete the online “Early Education Schedule Form” and pay the Early Ed enrollment fee of $50 per student ($100 per family maximum) by February 19. The enrollment fee will be billed to all annual and semi-annual payers by February 19. Families making monthly payments through FACTS will have their enrollment fees automatically deducted on February 19. The enrollment fee will increase to $75 after February 19, 2020. Medical forms for 2020-2021 will be sent out at a later date.
CLICK HERE for the Early Education Schedule Form
K-12 Student Re-enrollment Procedure: To secure your child’s space in grades K-12, please complete and return the fillable PDF “B6T Transportation Form” and pay the $50 Enrollment Fee by Wednesday, February 19. This B6T Transporation Form may be returned to the school office by email, FAX (609-653-1435), mail, or hand-delivery. A signature on the B6T form is still required by the school districts. If you are unable to create a digital signature, please print the form and sign it manually. The enrollment fee of $50 per student ($100 per family maximum) will be billed to all annual and semi-annual payers and is due by February 19. Families making monthly payments through FACTS will have their enrollment fees automatically deducted on February 19. The enrollment fee will increase to $75 after February 19. Medical forms will be sent out at a later date.
Please contact Mrs. Jessica Martin, Director of Admissions, with any questions at jmartin@acseht.org or 609-653-1199, ext. 314.
CLICK HERE for the 2020-2021 Tuition Rates and Fees
CLICK HERE for the 2020-2021 B6T Transportation From
ACS parents, guardians, faculty, staff, and students are invited to come together for a prayer meeting before the start of school on Monday, February 3 from 7:45-8:15 a.m. in the school library.
Please join us as we pray for our school and current issues in our community, state, and country that are impacting Christian families and Christian education.
ACS parents and guardians are also welcome to attend the “Parents in Prayer” group that meets weekly on Tuesdays 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. This prayer group is led by alumni parent Sharon Griffith. Any questions, please contact Sharon at 609-214-2136.
See you there! Today is ACS Spirit Day at Buffalo Wild Wings in Mays Landing. Eat wings and help raise funds for ACS Athletics.
This is the second year for the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Mays Landing to be partnering with ACS to support our school. For this school year, the restaurant has decided to increase its donation to 20% of the total bill of any customer who presents our special fundraising ticket between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. on January 24. The restaurant is located at 4311 Black Horse Pike in Mays Landing.
Please spread the word about this exciting fundraiser to benefit ACS middle school and high school sports programs.
CLICK HERE to get the special yellow printable fundraiser ticket to present when you order your meal. Tickets are also available in the school office.
With Christian music on the speakers and over 250 skaters on the floor, Young’s Skating Center in Mays Landing was full of energy on Saturday, January 11. The Junior class welcomed students, friends, and family members from ACS, local church youth groups, and even other Christian schools for an exciting evening at the rink.
The fundraiser brought in over $1,600 and will benefit the Junior Class fund for its Senior Trip.
We love our pastors! Atlantic Christian School students and their families worship at over 100 churches across South Jersey and each year we set aside a day to recognize and thank the important role that pastors and others working in church ministry play in the lives of our students. This year, Pastor Appreciation Day will be held on Wednesday, February 12.
The day’s activities will begin with a breakfast for the pastors, with Pastor Mike Bult of Mainland Baptist Church in Galloway as the featured speaker. After breakfast, the pastors and ministry leaders will attend our student-led All-School Chapel at 10 a.m. in the gym, where students from preschool to high school will show their appreciation for their pastors through choral, instrumental, and oral presentations. Invitations have been mailed to pastors at their churches. We are asking pastors to please RSVP to Mrs. PJ Santos, Assistant Director of Development and Communication, at 609-653-1199, ext. 302 or to psantos@acseht.org.
Donate blood and help save a life. Make an appointment today to donate blood at the American Red Cross Blood Drive at Atlantic Christian School on Wednesday, February 12 from 3:00-8:00 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room. Since 2008, ACS has hosted American Red Cross blood drives to help meet the urgent needs of patients at hospitals in Atlantic Coutny and our surrounding community. To donate, please make an appointment on the Red Cross website. Any questions? Contact high school faculty member and Student Council Advisor Dave Genter at dgenter@acseht.org.
To make an appointment, go to: www.redcrossblood.org
Use Sponsor Code: atlanticchristiansch
Atlantic Christian School’s Middle School Girls’ and Boys’ basketball teams are off to a great start in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League, both with strong winning records at this half-way point in the season.
“Both teams have a lot of talented players who can defend and score and they’re doing very well,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. “One highlight in the season so far has been beating Saint Joseph Regional School at their home court in Somers Point. They always have good teams and this is the first time in several years that both of our teams have beat them.”
The MS Girls’ team, led by Grant Miller in his second year has head coach, is undefeated in the Atlantic Cape League with a 6-0 record, and is 6-2 overall. The two losses came in early December at the start of the season when ACS played in the Dixie Howe Tournament in Ocean City. The MS Boys’ team, under second year head coach Lee Martin, has a 5-1 record in the Atlantic Cape League and is 7-2 overall. The team won 2 out of 3 games in the Dixie Howe Tournament.
If you could give to Atlantic Christian School without paying more, what would you do? When you use Xspero to shop local merchants in our community, 20% of your purchase goes directly to ACS without costing you more! Download the Xspero app on your mobile phone today and help raise funds through your normal spending.
A number of Atlantic County businesses have been added to the Xspero network in recent weeks, including Atlantic City Sub Shops, Cordivari’s Restaurant, Ernest & Son Sub Shop, La Cucina Ristorante, Naomi’s Cafe, Pets Plus, Sal’s Coal Fired Pizza, Stir It Up, TacocaT, and Your Chiropractor. New merchants are being added weekly so check back often to see if there are any more restaurants or shops in your area.
Yard signs promoting Xspero went up in various locations on the ACS campus this week. Representatives of Xspero will also be at the Bowls of Hope Soup Cook-Off on Saturday, February 1 to answer any questions and encourage ACS families and friends to support ACS by using the Xspero app.
New Life Assembly Pastor Jonathan Serbin has a unique way of building relationships with students at ACS and other area schools — he visits them at school during lunch and hands out free Frosties from Wendy’s. Pastor Jon, also known as PJ, stopped by ACS during lunch on Thursday, January 16 to hand out vanilla and chocolate Frosties to 6th to 12th grade students and to just spend time talking with them.
Affectionately known by ACS students as “The Frosty Guy,” Pastor Jon started his generous gesture about two years ago. He now hands out free Wendy’s Frosties about twice a month to students at ACS as well as other area schools, including students in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Clubs at the Egg Harbor Township and Mainland High Schools.
“The reason I do this is because students don’t care about what you know until they know that you care,” Pastor Jon said. “One of the best ways to show that you care is to spend money on them and handing out Frosties gives me an opportunity to speak into their lives.” Pastor Jon began serving on staff at New Life Assembly of Egg Harbor Township in 2013 as the Youth Pastor. During 2017, Pastor Jon was transitioned into the Next Generation Pastoral role and now oversees birth through college age. He is a graduate of Valley Forge Christian College with a Bachelor’s in youth ministry and a minor in counseling.
ACS looks forward to thanking and honoring Pastor Jon and other area pastors and ministry leaders for the important role they play in our students’ lives at our upcoming Pastor Appreciation Day on February 12.
Every day is an adventure — that’s how three of our teachers’ aides describe their work day, smiling as they describe the joys and challenges of working with our youngest students in our Early Education and kindergarten classes. Mrs. Kristin Scull, Mrs. Ashley Vaccaro, and Miss Sarah Getty, pictured from left to right, all began last September as full-time aides and at this half-way point in the school year they are grateful and excited to be a part of the ACS family.
Vaccaro, an aide to kindergarten teacher Hayley Price, first came to ACS as a school parent, enrolling her now 6th grade son, Austin, in kindergarten seven years ago. Her son, Asher, is now also enrolled in PreK4. “As a parent, I saw how everyone here was part of a family and it was inspiring to me; I wanted to be a part of that,” Vaccaro said. She holds a BA in elementary education from Liberty University and is certified in special education and early childhood development. Prior to joining the ACS staff, she worked in the Northfield Community School as a special ed para-professional. She attends Fusion Church and helps with preschool care on Sundays.
Getty, who is an aide in Mrs. Nicole Warriner’s PreK2 class, said she has always loved being with children, and gained valuable experience helping for many years with Kids Club, VBS, and children’s Sunday School at Faith Bible Baptist Church in Egg Harbor Township. “The favorite part of my job is seeing the excitement the children have whenever they learn something new,” Getty said. “Little accomplishments make they happy, like when I teach a child how to put on their shoes and socks, they get so excited when they are able to do it on their own.”
Scull, who has three adult children and three grandchildren, enjoys loving on our youngest students as an aide in Mrs. Chambers’ PreK1 Infant classroom. “Every day is an adventure and it’s never boring,” Scull said. “I love working with children at this age because they grow so much and you can have such a big impact on them.” Scull attends Fusion Church, where she is part of the media production team, runs small groups, and teachers in kids’ church.
Elementary students in our Servant’s Heart Club made some 50 peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches at its January meeting for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission to distribute to the homeless in our community.
The 2nd-5th grade students made the sandwiches during their monthly after-school meeting on January 7 and the sandwiches were delivered to the mission this week by Club Advisor and school parent Jennifer DiMaio. The students also colored Bible verses with an encouraging message on flyers that were attached to the sandwich bags.
Mrs. DiMaio said the club’s February project will be to create Valentine’s Day care packages for children in the Ronald McDonald House. Twenty-one students participate in the after-school club and additional students are welcome to join at any time.
ACS recognized and honored junior forward Landon Shivers, a member of the Varsity Boys’ Basketball team, for achieving the significant milestone of pulling down 500 rebounds with a special presentation on Friday, January 10 in the ACS gym before the home game against Baptist Regional School.
Athletic Director Pam Hitchner presented Landon with a special commemorative game ball. Cougars Head Coach Dan Carney and Landon’s parents, Scott and Heather Shivers, were invited to join Landon court-side to be recognized for their contributions to Landon’s success.
The 6-foot, 9-inch Landon pulled down his 500th rebound on December 30 during the Doane Academy Tournament. He becomes one of just 12 basketball players in school history to reach this milestone during their high school career and his name will be added to a school banner hanging in the gym.
In Friday’s game, ACS beat Baptist Regional School 75-42, and Landon grabbed 14 rebounds and had two steals.
The Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball teams are off to a stellar start, with undefeated records of 5-0 in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference (TSCAC) and five weeks left in the second half of the season. “Both teams are doing great and playing better each time they’re on the court,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. “We’re also very pleased with the enthusiasm of our school families and friends who are filling the bleachers at our home games and helping energize our players.”
The Lady Cougars, led by Kaylee Breunig in her 3rd year as head coach, started the season strong, winning the Delco Christian Tip-Off Basketball Tournament on December 7, with high-scoring guard Cristen Winkel receiving the tournament MVP award, both firsts in school history. The Girls’ team played well again in the December 27-28 Boardwalk Classic in Wildwood, losing to Absegami High School and then beating Cedar Creek High School.
The Varsity Boys’ team also got off to a great start in December at the Doane Academy Tournament, winning 2 out of 3 games and placing third in the tournament. Dan Carney is in his 4th year as head coach, assisted by Drew Carney, Ben Chapman, and Paul Jones.
The ACS teams have a challenging schedule, playing teams both in the TSCAC and in the Cape Atlantic League. The Varsity Girls currently have a 3-1 record against area high schools in the Cape Atlantic League and will face ACIT, Egg Harbor Township, Pleasantville, and Winslow Township in upcoming games. The Varsity Boys’ are 1-1 in games against Cape Atlantic League teams, and will be playing Cedar Creek at home on February 3.
