Egg Harbor Township – Page 15 – Atlantic Christian School

Post Tagged with: "Egg Harbor Township"

ACS Families, Staff, Friends Asked to Subscribe to New ACS YouTube Channel

ACS has a new YouTube Channel and we are asking all ACS families, staff, and friends to subscribe to our channel. ACS has had a YouTube Channel for several years, which was a vital tool used to provide livestreaming of ACS chapels and other events for students on virtual learning after the outbreak of COVID-19. However, technical difficulties earlier this fall resulted in the loss of the channel and a new channel was recently created.

“We had over 300 subscribers to our first YouTube channel and we would like to reach and exceed that number of subscribers to our new channel,” said Carole Karabashian, Director of Development and Communication.

One of the popular broadcasts made possible via the ACS YouTube Channel last winter was livestreaming of ACS home middle school and basketball games. “There is a lot of interest in being able to live-stream those games again this winter, but we need to get over 100 subscribers to have our own URL and make it easy for folks to get the link to those games,” Karabashian said. The new ACS channel currently has 30 subscribers.

To find ACS on YouTube, simply type in “Atlantic Christian School” and once on the page, click on the “SUBSCRIBE” button. Thank you.

Race for Education, Harvest Day 2021 — Great Way to Celebrate Fall, Raise Funds for ACS

With sunny, blue skies overhead, some 600 students and teachers from preschool to high school ran, walked, and even navigated an obstacle course on our track to help raise funds for our school at our Race for Education on November 1. Scores of family members came out to cheer from the sidelines and volunteer. To add to the fun, elementary students enjoyed a variety of fall-themed, Harvest Day activities in addition to participating in the Race.

“Thank you to our volunteers and our donors for helping make our fall fundraiser a big success,” said Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz, who oversaw the Race. “We have received generous gifts from over 400 donors and we have now exceeded our $40,000 goal — what a blessing!”

Throughout Race Day, various classes posed with yard signs that recognized a record 20 Event Sponsors and 30 Classroom Sponsors. Two large banners recognizing our Event Sponsors also were hung near the track and at the front entrance of the main school building. Hundreds of sponsors gave $50 or more and the students they supported received large green-and-white Race sneaker posters that are on display in their classrooms and in the hallways.

According to Delacruz, donations are still coming in for the Race and a new Race fundraising record may be set. It’s not too late to make a donation to the Race. Our online donation site is still open — race4ed.com/aceht

Favorite Harvest Day activities held throughout the day included a visit to the pumpkin patch and decorating pumpkins, paper leaves, and cards for art. Thank you to Produce Junction in Northfield for providing over 400 pumpkins at a discounted price for our event. Students also enjoyed riding a tractor-pulled wagon around the school campus, driven by former ACS student Noah Pricskett, whose family owns the Sleepy Hollow Family Campground in Egg Harbor Township. Other Harvest Day activities included story time, a scavenger hunt, jumping in a new Bounce House, playing gaga ball and 4-square, and an outdoor music class where students practiced their percussion and rhythmic skills.

Photo credits: Christian Delacruz, Carole Karabashian, Anna Linkins, Patty Rosie

Varsity Soccer Teams Heading Into League Finals on Saturday — Boys to Play in Championship Game, Girls in Consolation

We’re in the Soccer Tournament Finals! Congratulations to our Varsity Soccer Teams who will be competing in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Finals on Saturday, November 6. The Varsity Boys will be playing in the Championship Game for the first time since 2012 and the Varsity Girls are playing in the Consolation Game. Both games will be held at Pinelands Regional High School. The Varsity Boys advanced to the championship game after beating King’s Christian School 2-1 in an exciting, double overtime semi-final playoff game on November 4. The Varsity Girls had a tough 4-1 loss in their semi-final playoff game to Gloucester County Christian School.

The Varsity Boys’ team, seeded #2 at the end of the regular season, will face off against #1 seeded Pilgrim Academy in the TSCAC Championship Game at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The 24-member team is led by head coach Andres Tortola. The 14-member Varsity Girls’ team, also seeded #2 at the end of the regular season, will play King’s Christian School in the Consolation Game kicking off at 3 p.m.

Both games will be played at Pinelands Regional High School at 565 Nugentown Road in Little Egg Harbor, NJ. ACS families and friends are encouraged to come out and cheer on our teams to victory! The TSCAC will be charging a gate fee at the games.

In the Varsity Boys’ playoff game held Thursday on the ACS campus, 11th grader Luke Phillips kicked in the first goal, assisted by 10th grader Manny Johnson. The game was tied at half time and at the end of regulation play. The game then went into a double overtime, with 11th grader Moges Johnson kicking in the winning goal. 11th grader Jake DeNick also fought hard in the goal, making 12 saves.

In the Varsity Girls’ playoff game, 11th grader Paige Noble scored the lone goal for ACS, assisted by 11th grader Maddie DeNick. The Lady Cougars, under head coach Carly Witherow, have made six consecutive appearances in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference (TSCAC) Tournament finals and won five consecutive TSCAC Championships since 2015.

The TSCAC All-Star Game will be held on Tuesday, November 9. Photo credits: Sue DeNick, Mia Liggins, Ruby Lewis, and Karen Noble.

Worry Less, Pray More — Middle Schoolers Learn Strategies to Deal with Stress at Spiritual Emphasis Retreat on October 25

Who’s ever been worried or anxious? Most Middle School students raised their hands in response to the question posed by High School Bible teacher Urick Lewis at the Middle School Spiritual Emphasis Retreat on October 25. Lewis went on to provide the students with practical, Biblically-rooted strategies to deal with stress in their lives and pointed out that even powerful men of God, like the prophet Elijah, faced worry and stress and needed to turn to God for encouragement and strength. The one-day retreat began on the ACS campus and then students traveled to R & J Farm in Egg Harbor City to spend time together, building closer friendships and also to meet in small groups to further discuss the morning’s topic.

The Middle School retreat began in the morning with a time of worship led by the Wellspring Church praise team, followed by the keynote devotion by Mr. Lewis. The three strategies Lewis shared for how to respond to stress were: 1) to pray; 2) to examine your perspective and change it if needed; and 3) to have people in your life who can encourage you.

“Isolation is a tool that the devil uses to keep us worried and anxious,” Lewis said. “The prophet Elijah isolated himself, but God brought people to minister to him and that’s what he’ll do for you. Don’t try to deal with things all on your own.”

Students gathered in smaller COMPASS groups in the morning to dig deeper into what the Bible says about how to respond to anxiety and stress. One key Bible passage the students examined was Philippians 4:6-7 — “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

At R & J Farm, the students enjoyed picking pumpkins, exploring the corn maze, jumping on a large inflatable, and playing various games. The students also met again in their small groups at the farm to further discuss questions related to dealing with worry and stress, concluding the day with a final wrap-up message from Mr. Lewis.

Excitement Building for Peter Pan Jr. Musical as Set Production Gets Underway; Purchase Tickets Online or at Door

Excitement is in the air for the upcoming production of Peter Pan Jr. as set construction got underway last week and students and teachers created bulletin boards to promote the exciting musical. Captain Hook’s pirate ship is taking shape at the center of the ACS stage — built by ACS parent and former student Mark Huff and ACS parent Tony Boules and Travis Shafer, who are owners of Architectural Master Builders based in Parsipanny, NJ.

“It’s so exciting to see this giant pirate ship come to life on the stage that will create the illusion of the cast and the audience being on the ship and a part of the action,” said show director Genevieve Huff. Additional sections of the set, including Wendy’s nursery window, will continue to be built in time for tech week and dress rehearsals the week of November 15. Anyone interested in volunteering to help with set construction should contact Mrs. Huff at ghuff@acseht.org.

Mrs. Scardilli’s 7th grade mixed media art class recently finished designing a bulletin board outside the school library depicting a scene of Peter Pan with Wendy and her siblings flying in the air near the Tower of London. Another bulletin board features the photos of all 46 cast members in the musical, with their names and the parts they will play in the show.

Tickets to “Peter Pan Jr.” are now available for purchase online for two performances of the show — on Friday, November 19 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 20 at 2:00 p.m.

Purchase your tickets online or at the door — $8 for students and $10 for general admission. Seating will be first-come, first-served.

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets online.

Neverland-Themed Scholastic Book Fair Coming Nov. 15-24; Shopping Opens First Night of Peter Pan Jr. Musical; Sign Up Online to Volunteer

Our fall Scholastic Book Fair with a Neverland theme is two weeks away and will run from November 15-24. All students and their family members will have opportunities to visit the fair on select days and can shop in person or online for books and gift items. The Book Fair organizers are also in need of volunteers to help with setup and pack up and to serve as shopping assistants.

“Last year’s Book Fair raised some $8,500 for our school library and classroom educational needs and we hope to surpass that goal this year,” said K-12 Computer Teacher Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney, who is overseeing the fair with Library Media Specialist Patti Scardilli. This year’s goal is to sell 1,250 books and raise $10,000, which will be used to buy teacher requested books for classrooms, books to lend students at the ACS Library, and a subscription to Scholastic News magazine for elementary students to enjoy at home.

Students will be visiting the school library from November 15-19 to preview the Book Fair items and create their “wish lists.” Product selection will include Scholastic books and stationery items, as well as Bibles, devotionals, and Christian books and gift items from the Truth That Rocks Bookstore in Northfield. A Scholastic Book Catalog will be sent home with PreK3-6th grade students. The Scholastic website also has the catalog of books and gift items to choose from.

CLICK HERE to order books on the Scholastic Book Web Page

CLICK HERE to be a Book Fair Volunteer

In-person family shopping will begin on Friday, November 19 — the opening night of the Peter Pan Jr. musical — with opportunities to shop both before and after the show, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. and from 8:00-9:00 p.m. The fair will also be open on Saturday, November 20 before and after the second performance of Peter Pan Jr., from 1:00-2:00 p.m. and from 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Shopping will continue the following week, November 22-24, when students can purchase the items they have selected. Family members can visit the Book Fair after school on select days and times from November 22-23. Parents, grandparents, and friends can also shop online from November 15-28. Book fair purchases can be paid by cash and check or by uploading funds to a digital eWallet (via the Book Fair website).

The in-person family shopping days and hours for November 22-23 are scheduled using the last name of the parent, as follows:

Last name beginning with A-L — Monday, Nov. 22, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Last name beginning with M-Z — Tuesday, Nov. 23, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Winter Sports Season to Get Underway, Tryouts Start Week of Nov. 8

Our winter sports season is just around the corner and we are excited to see nearly 120 students signed up for tryouts for basketball and cheer. Tryouts for our High School Basketball Teams will be held next week and Middle School Basketball tryouts will be held after Thanksgiving. Pre-tryout practices for our combined Middle School/High School Cheer Team will also be held next week, prior to tryouts on November 16.

The Varsity Boys Basketball tryouts will be held on November 8 and 9 and the Varsity Girls Basketball tryouts will be held on November 11 and 12. Tryouts will run from 3:15 to 5:00 p.m.

The Varsity Basketball coaches for this season, who will oversee the tryouts, will be: Drew Carney, Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach; Dan Carney, Varsity Boys Basketball Assistant Coach; Ben Chapman, JV Boys Basketball Head Coach; Kaylee Breunig, Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach; and Dara Kimmerley, JV Girls Basketball Head Coach. The Middle School Basketball coaches will be Joshua Clark, MS Boys Basketball Head Coach; and Grant Miller, MS Girls Basketball Coach.

Students interested in trying out for the cheer team should attend the practices on November 9 and 10 from 3:15-4:15 p.m. to learn the routines that they will be asked to perform at the tryouts on November 16, which will be held from 3:30-5:00 p.m. The Cheer Team will once again be co-coached by staff members Kelly Flynn and Morgan Gibson. Not only will the team cheer at middle school and high school basketball home games, but plans are underway for the team to enter one or more cheer competitions. Students in the after school intramural cheer program, led by Coach Gibson, will also have the opportunity to cheer at ACS home games.

The Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ teams are scheduled to kick off their season with non-league games at home in the ACS gym on Tuesday, December 7. Information on all upcoming games can be found on the High School and Middle School Calendars posted on the ACS website under the Athletics tab and on the ACS App under Calendars.

Let’s get ready for a busy, action-packed season!

ACS Summer Cougar Camp Wins Best of the Press 2021 Silver Medal; Early Ed Center Places in Top 5 for Best Child Daycare Center

We’re in the Winner’s Circle! — Our Summer Cougar Camp and Early Education Center recently received special honors in The Press of Atlantic City’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards. Cougar Camp received a 2nd place Silver Medal for “Best Summer Camp” and our Early Education Center placed in the Top 5 of “Best Child Daycare Centers” in the region. The award winners were announced on October 31, 2021 and published in a special pull-out section in The Press of Atlantic City.

Thank you to our ACS families and the many friends in our community who voted online in two rounds of the contest from July-September.

We’re very proud of our Cougar Camp staff, led by faculty member Eric Tardif, and our Early Education teachers and aides, led by Early Ed Director and Elementary Principal Gail Alford, for their dedication and love for each of the students who are in these programs.

This past summer, children from grades 1 to 6 enjoyed a 10-week Cougar Camp program that included field trips to the Cape May Zoo, roller skating at Young’s Skating and other fun and educational destinations, movies days, water foam fun, STEM activities, working in the school garden, sports, Bible stories and worship, and much more.

Alumni, Students, Families Celebrate Homecoming 2021

Over 400 alumni, students, and their families gathered at the ACS campus on Saturday, October 23 for Homecoming 2021, which featured two exciting Varsity vs. Alumni Soccer games, the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen and presentation of their court, and a new 5K Cross-Country Race.

Congratulations to our 2021 Homecoming Court — Homecoming King Quinn Schrag, Homecoming Queen Caeli Barbour, and Homecoming Princesses Elizabeth Alford and Amber Ramos. The King and Queen waved to the crowd as they took the traditional ride around the track in a converted jeep, driven by school parents Michael and Kelly Flynn.

The Homecoming events began in the morning with open volleyball and basketball and a 5K Cross-Country Race on a new course created on the ACS campus. Six ACS students competed in what Athletic Director Pam Hitchner hopes will become an annual Homecoming event. Senior Shane Schweeppenheiser won 1st place overall and senior Caeli Barbour placed second overall and in 1st place for the girls. Four middle school students competed in the race: Ashlee Alford, Liam Aspenberg, Christian Pineo, and Kalee Tardiff.

For the second year in a row, the ACS Varsity Soccer teams faced off in two very competitive and fast-paced games against an ACS Men’s Alumni Team and an ACS Women’s Alumni Team. The Alumni Men won their game against the ACS Varsity Boys by a score of 5-4. The game was tied 4-4 at the end of regulation and the game went into overtime, with the Alumni winning the penalty shoot-out by 1.

For the Alumni Men’s Team, Brendon Keller scored four goals, assisted by Varsity Boys’ coach Andres Tortola, and Tortola scored one goal. Scoring for the ACS Varsity Boys team were junior Manny Johnson with 2 goals, assisted by senior Aaron Glancey; sophomore Noah Gibbs with 1 goal, assisted by Johnson; and sophomore James Papanikolau with 1 goal. The players on the ACS Men’s Alumni team were: Ben Chapman (’13), Billy Chapman (’10), Elijah Chapman (’19), Josh Clark, JJ Jacoby (’21), Luke Johnson (’19), Brandon Keller, Carl Phillips (’18), Dan Roland (’20), Jacob Rosie (’21), Mark Rosie (’20), Tommy Tillis (’10), Andres Tortola, and Nate Wallace (’07), who played in goal.

The ACS Women’s Alumni Team beat the ACS Varsity Girls team 4-1, a reversal of last year’s Homecoming game where the Varsity team won 5-2. For the Alumni Women’s Team, DJ Hitchner scored 2 goals, one assisted by Sydney Pearson; Chloe Vogel scored 1 goal; and Sarah Vogel Laury scored 1 goal, assisted by Carly Harper Witherow. Junior captain Paige Noble scored the one goal for the ACS Varsity Girls’ team.

The players on the ACS Women’s Alumni team were: Kaylee Breunig (’12), Olivia Chapman, Shelby Einwechter (’21), who played in goal, Leah Vogel Glancey (’15), DJ Hitchner (’17), Casey Harper Hopwood, Naomi Glancey Johnson (’18), Sarah Vogel Laury (’11), Sydney Pearson (’21), Abigail Vogel Shivers (’18), Jamie Zalman Tortola (’13), Chloe Vogel (’21), Cristen Winkel (’21), and Carly Harper Witherow (’08).

At half-time during both alumni games, family members and friends in the crowd had the opportunity to compete for Wawa gift cards by taking a 50-yard shot on goal.

Race for Education Rescheduled to Nov. 1; Students Show off their Sponsor Race Sneakers as Donations Exceed $37,000

Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz visited classrooms over the past two weeks, presenting dozens of students with green-and-white Race Sponsor Sneakers, given to those who have raised $50 or more from a sponsor. To date, ACS has received over $37,000 in Race donations and we are very grateful for the support. Due to inclement weather, the Race for Education has been rescheduled to Monday, November 1.

The Sponsor Sneakers are also on display on a bulletin board in the Multi-Purpose Room hallway. There is still room for more sneakers — so we encourage family, friends and area businesses to be a Race sponsor and help us reach or exceed our goal of $40,000. All proceeds will go into the ACS Annual Fund to support our educational programs in this school year.

Giving to the Race for Education is easy — just go to our Race website — www.race4ed.com/aceht or CLICK HERE.

Donors who make a gift of $200 will be recognized as a “Classroom Sponsor” and those give $400 will be designated as an “Event Sponsor.” Individual yard signs with the names of Classroom and Event sponsors are being placed around the edge of the track on Race Day to encourage all of our runners. Our Event Sponsors will be recognized on a banner hung at the school on Race Day and for the week after the Race. Classroom and Event Sponsors will also be thanked and recognized on our school’s website.

Students Enjoy New Picnic Tables Donated by New Life Assembly of God

Five picnic tables recently donated by New Life Assembly of God Church in Egg Harbor Township are being put to good use by ACS 4th-6th grade students during recess and lunch. Four square metal tables and one rectangular table were put in place on October 5 in a grassy area next to the new modular buildings where the 4th-6th grade classrooms are now located.

“These picnic tables are just what we needed to provide comfortable seating for our students in the new lunch and recess area we created this fall,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “We truly appreciate the way New Life Assembly and many other churches in our community step forward to support our students and our school.”

Pictured here are students in Kaitlyn D’aquilante’s 5th grade class enjoying some fresh air and free play time during recess on October 27.

ACS to Hold High School Information Night on Nov. 9

ACS is holding its annual High School Information Night on Tuesday, November 9 to give interested parents and students a preview of the variety of academic courses, programs, and extra-curricular opportunities offered to students who attend high school at ACS. Featured speakers will include Upper School Principal Meg McHale and Guidance Counselor Christina Ragland. Attendees will be able to meet various high school teachers and get a tour of the school building. The Information Night will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and will include light refreshments.

“We encourage any family that is interested in choosing ACS for high school to attend this meeting,” McHale said. “What makes ACS a distinctive high school is that our strong academic program is Biblically integrated and every course is taught from a Christian worldview.” McHale also noted that ACS offers AP and dual-enrollment college classes and course concentrations that prepare students for careers in business, education, health and medicine, ministry, and technology.

For more information about the upcoming meeting, please contact Admissions Director Jessica Martin at 609-653-1199, ext. 314, or jmartin@acseht.org.

Nov. 19 Grandparents Appreciation Day Postponed to Spring 2022

To protect the health and safety of our ACS grandparents, the school administration has decided to postpone the Grandparents Appreciation Day event scheduled for Friday, November 19 to the spring of 2022. ACS grandparents and school families will be informed of the new date, once it is determined.

Each fall, ACS students look forward to honoring their grandparents and welcoming them to a special Grandparents Day Chapel on the ACS campus. Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Grandparents Day was not held as an in-person event. Unfortunately, a year later, the COVID-19 virus is still having a significant impact.

“We are all disappointed that we cannot be together on November 19, but we look forward to welcoming our grandparents to ACS for Grandparents Day next spring,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. An email announcing the postponement of the event was sent to parents, faculty, and staff on October 29.

Race for Education, Harvest Day Rescheduled to Monday, Nov. 1– Keep Reaching Out to Family, Friends to be a Race Sponsor

Due to inclement weather forecasts, the Race for Education and Harvest Day have been rescheduled to this coming Monday, November 1. That means you have a few more days to get more sponsors and help us reach and exceed our $40,000 goal. Please find time over this weekend to send some emails or share the ACS Race flyer on Facebook and help us reach and exceed our $40,000 goal.

Thank you to the 355 sponsors who have already donated or reached out to prospective sponsors. To date, ACS has received over $36,000 in Race donations. Let’s keep pressing on over the next few days and encouraging others to come on board as sponsors.

Giving to the Race for Education is easy — just go to our Race website — www.race4ed.com/aceht.

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 or 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 ON the flyer below to go to the Race donation website.

Students Show off Their Sponsor Sneakers as Donations Exceed $30,000 with 9 Days Until Race for Education; Order Your Hot Diggity Dog Lunch for Race Day by Oct. 27

The Race for Education is just nine days away and sponsor donations and pledges now surpass $30,000 with just nine days to go until our Race for Education on Friday, October 29. We’re getting closer to our goal of $40,000, so please keep emailing and calling family, friends, and local businesses to ask them to be a Race Sponsor.

Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz traveled around the school campus on Friday, October 22 to present 189 green-and-white Race for Ed Sponsor Sneakers to every student who had raised $50 or more from a sponsor. The sneakers were also put on display on a bulletin board in the Multi-Purpose Room hallway. There is still room for more sneakers — so let’s keep reaching out to prospective sponsors. All proceeds will go into the ACS Annual Fund to support our educational programs in this school year.

The PTF is also sponsoring a Hot Diggity Dog Lunch for students on Race Day. Ordering must be done through RenWeb by Wednesday, October 27. A hot dog meal includes a hot dog, chips, and a drink for $4. Additional hot dogs can be purchased for $2 each.

Giving to the Race for Education is easy — just visit our Race website — www.race4ed.com/aceht.

Sponsors can give any amount, but if they donate $50 or more, the student they are sponsoring will receive a special Race sneaker sign with the sponsor’s name and the name of the student they are sponsoring. 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 ON the flyer at the bottom of this page to go to the Race donation website.

Welcoming Alumni, School Families to Homecoming 2021 this Saturday; 5K Cross-Country Run Added to Day’s Activities

ACS school families, alumni, and friends are invited to attend Homecoming 2021 this Saturday, October 23 to enjoy a variety of activities, including a 5K cross-country run on the ACS campus that was recently added to the day’s events.

The Homecoming festivities will get underway with Open Basketball and Open Volleyball outdoors from 10 a.m. to noon. The new Homecoming 5K run is open to middle school and high school students and alumni. Participants must check in by 10:45 a.m. and the run will start at 11 a.m., with medals to be awarded to the top finishers.

The ACS Varsity Girls vs Alumni Girls game will begin at noon and the Varsity Boys vs Alumni Boys game will kick off at 2:00 p.m. The Homecoming Court Presentation will be held between the games, from 1:30-2:00 p.m. There will be lots of great food to enjoy throughout the day, including hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza, with the proceeds benefiting our athletic programs.

Come on out for a fun family day. In the evening, our annual Homecoming Dance will be held in the ACS gym for ACS high school students and their guests from 6:30-9:00 p.m.

Tickets, Ads Now on Sale for Peter Pan Jr. Musical; Ad Deadline is November 1

Tickets and ads for the upcoming ACS production of “Peter Pan Jr.” are now available for purchase. The deadline to purchase a booster pride line, electronic ad, or playbill ad to advertise your business or to congratulate your favorite cast member is Monday, November 1. Tickets are now on sale for two performances of the show — on Friday, November 19 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 20 at 2:00 p.m.

Ads must be submitted online at acseht.org/drama and assistance is available to help you design your ad. A 100-character or less Booster Pride Line message to encourage a cast member is $10 and an electronic ad that will be displayed on a screen to the audience before the show and during intermission is $30. Playbill ad prices range from $25 for a quarter-page to $200 for the back cover. All proceeds from the ad sales will go to support the ACS drama program.

Tickets to the show are now for sale online through Thursday, November 18 — $8 for students and $10 for general admission. Tickets will also be on sale at the door on November 19 and 20 for slightly higher prices — $10 for students and $12 for general admission. Seating will be first-come, first- served.

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets or ads.

High School Students Challenged to Put Complete Trust in God at Spiritual Emphasis Retreat

ACS high school students were challenged to put their complete trust in God and to move from just surviving to thriving in their daily lives at the two-day Spiritual Emphasis Retreat from September 30 to October 1 at America’s Keswick.

During three retreat chapels, keynote speaker Jonathan Gonzalez shared his personal testimony, encouraged students with Bible passages about trusting God and His promises, and focused on how to become “deeply rooted” in Christ, expanding on this year’s spiritual theme verse from Jeremiah 17:7-8. Gonzalez is the Director of Youth Ministries and Facilities at the Ocean City Tabernacle and is a pastor at Praise Tabernacle. His wife, Ashley, is an ACS preschool aide and their two children attend ACS.

The retreat included time for singing and worship, which was led by Gabe Conley, the Student Ministries Leader at Coastal Christian Church. Students also broke into smaller COMPASS groups, where the high school teachers facilitated deeper discussion on the speaker’s messages. Students also enjoyed competing in teams for a scavenger hunt and gathering for a bonfire by the lake. In free time, the students found plenty of ways to bond through a variety of recreational activities, including canoeing, volleyball, basketball, tennis, ping-pong, and swimming.

“The goal of our annual Spiritual Emphasis Retreat is to see our students grow spiritually and develop stronger relationships with each other and their teachers,” said Upper School Vice Principal Andrew Carney, who was the retreat coordinator for the group of nearly 100 students and high school teachers who attended. “I could really feel the Holy Spirit moving at the retreat as the students listened to the powerful messages from our keynote speaker and as they spent time together in worship,” Carney said. “I had many students tell me on the last day of the retreat that they didn’t want it to be over.”

Gonzalez shared that his experience at the retreat was different from another speaking engagement he has been a part of. “The level of engagement, response, and hunger for God from the students was truly inspiring,” Gonzalez said. “God truly touched the lives of many students during the sessions.”

Evangelina Kim said a special memory from the retreat was getting up early one morning and going with eight other 10th grade girls to watch the sunrise over the lake. “I really felt that we bonded a lot through the various activities and the many conversations we had in small groups,” Kim said.

12th grader Elizabeth Alford said she enjoyed helping lead worship at the bonfire, which she said happened spontaneously, as she, Destiny Brewer, Tommy Ellison, and Evan Power decided to join Gabe Conely as he played the guitar. “It was great to see our high school community come together and worship,” Alford said.

11th grader Cruz Lewis was impacted by the personal testimony of the keynote speaker, who shared the impactful story of how he committed his life to Christ after a near-death experience as the victim of a car accident at the age of 17. “Jonathan’s testimony was incredible,” Lewis said. “God really woke him up and it made me think — God wants me to get my stuff together.”

Neary 140 students in middle school will be participating in the Middle School Spiritual Emphasis Retreat which will be held next week on Monday, October 25. The keynote speaker will be Pastor Urick Lewis, who teaches High School Bible at ACS and serves in the youth ministry at Fresh Start Church.

ACS Students Compete in Northern NJ Christian School Spelling Contest; Madelyn Petrinec Places 2nd in 4th Grade Level

Thirteen ACS students from the 2nd to the 8th grades competed in a Northern New Jersey Christian School Spelling Contest on October 14 and Madelyn Petrinec received a red ribbon for taking second place among 4th graders in the contest. The spelling contest was held at the Abundant Life Worship Center in Nutley, New Jersey and ACS was among eight schools who competed in the event.

“Maddie is a super star speller and we are proud of her,” said Spelling Club Advisor Jessica Martin. “This was the first time our school competed in this contest and it had a different format from our school’s annual spelling bee.” Unlike the format of the ACS bee held each winter, the students did not know what words would be included in the contest and were not able to study ahead for them. “Our students did very well considering this different format, and we had several students who narrowly missed joining Maddie in the finals.” The bee format had students only competing at their specific grade levels and the top three spellers advanced to the finals for their grade.

The students selected to represent ACS in the contest were winners or runners-up in last year’s class-level spelling bees. The students who competed were: Oritseyemi Pessu and Barrett Woods (2nd grade); Caitlyn Doucett and Charlotte Newman (3rd grade); Madelyn Petrinec and Luke Sabulao (4th grade); Mia Gaffney and Gaebriel Hahn-Chaney (5th grade); Nino Miranda and Matthew Coates (6th grade); Tommy Potenski and Nathanael Thompson (7th grade); and Gabriella Goodwin (8th grade).

The seven other schools who sent students to compete in the bee were: Abundant Life Academy, American Christian School, Eastern Christian School, Hawthorne Christian Academy, Sussex Christian School, The Arrow Academy, and Timothy Christian School.

Middle School Soccer — Winning Seasons for Boys’ and Girls’ Teams; Former MLS Pro Player Gives Boys’ Team Pointers at Recent Practice

Our Middle School Boys’ and Girls’ soccer teams have worked hard and achieved winning seasons as they head into their final week of competition next week in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League. The Middle School Boys’ team also got special training at a recent practice from a guest coach — former Major League Soccer (MLS) player, Rich Balchan.

The 23-member Middle School Boys’ team, under head coach David O’Connell, has an overall record of 7 wins, 1 loss, and 1 tie, and in league play has 5 wins, 1 loss and 1 tie. The 22-member Middle School Girls’ team, under head coach Casey Hopwood, is 3-3-1 in the league, with an overall record of 3 wins, 4 losses, and 1 tie. Check out the Athletic Calendar on the ACS website or ACS Family App for next week’s game information. Come on out and cheer on our Cougars to victory!

Coach O’Donnell invited Balchan to work with the Middle School Boys’ team and felt his input had a positive impact on his young players. Balchan played professional soccer from 2011-2017, including stints with two MLS teams — the Columbus Crew in Ohio and the Real Salt Lake in Utah. Balchan now lives in Atlantic County and is the Director of Coaching at Hamilton Elite FC, a youth soccer club in Mays Landing.

“Our boys really got some good insight into the kind of skills and discipline that are needed to become a professional athlete,” O’Donnell said. At their September 30 practice, Balchan led the players in passing and receiving skills and guided them on game play movement, positioning, and strategy. He also posed with the players for a team photo during the practice.

Athletes, Family Members Honored at Varsity Soccer Senior Day on Oct. 21

ACS honored six seniors on the Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer teams and their family members in a special ceremony on Thursday, October 21. The seniors honored were: Destiny Brewer, Angela Eggie, Aaron Glancey, Danny Kim, Cole Lewis, and Devin Tridente.

Athletic Director Pam Hitchner introduced the team members and read notes of special thanks to each written by Varsity Boys’ Coach Andres Tortola and Varsity Girls’ Coach Carly Witherow. Each player escorted their parents, host parents, or other family members across the Varsity Boys’ Soccer field, with their fellow players lined up on either side of their pathway, cheering and applauding as they walked by.

The ceremony was held prior to the start of the home games against Calvary Academy. Both teams went on to win their games. The Varsity Girls won 8-1, with Paige Noble (11th) and Alicia O’Donnell (10th) each scoring twice, and Maddie DeNick (11th), Sophia Johnson (9th), Becca Kelley (10th), and Eden Wilson (11th) each scoring once. Goalie Taylor Sutton made eight saves. The Varsity Boys won 7-3. Senior Aaron Glancey had 3 goals, senior Devin Tridente had two goals, and Manny Johnson (10th) and Chase Leach (9th) each scored 1 goal.

We’re so proud of the commitment and leadership that our seniors have given during their high school careers and the important contributions they have made to the success of both teams this season. Both the Varsity Girls’ and Boys’ teams are currently in second place with one more week of games before playoffs during the week of November 1. The Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference quarter-final games are scheduled for Tuesday, November 2 and the semi-final playoff games are scheduled for Thursday, November 4, with locations and teams to be determined. The TSCAC Championship Games will be played on Saturday, November 6 and the location is yet to be determined. More details will be provided soon.

Move it Mondays Gets Elementary Students Ready to Learn; November Session Rescheduled to Nov. 8

Move it Mondays are back! It’s more than just a fitness workout, it’s a way to wake up the brain and help our students get ready to exercise their minds. On the first Monday of each month, students in kindergarten to the 5th grade meet in the gym to start off the day with about 20 minutes of aerobic exercise.

On October 4, the students started their first round of academic assessment tests, called MAPS. Elementary Principal Gail Alford was glad the students could spend some time exercising that morning to help get their blood pumping before picking up their pencils. “Studies have shown that engaging in exercise before taking a test helps improve brain function and raises test scores,” Alford said.

In November, Move it Monday will be held on November 8 instead of November 1 and students will be able to wear their “Deeply Rooted” class t-shirts, PE shorts or sweatpants, and sneakers.

The exercise routines are led by Admissions Director Jessica Martin, a certified Personal Trainer and Zumba Instructor, who first began leading Move it Mondays in the fall of 2019. She leads line dances like the Cupid Shuffle and musical exercise routines to student favorites like Toby Mac’s “Backseat Driver” and Parry Gripp’s “It’s Raining Tacos.” With a lot of laughs and a few sore muscles, students and teachers alike head off to class in good spirits and ready to learn.

Students Learn about Fire Prevention During Visit from Scullville Volunteer Fire Company

To mark National Fire Prevention Week, students from preschool to the 5th grade learned all about fire prevention and safety during a visit from the Scullville Volunteer Fire Company on Tuesday, October 19. Fire Official Don Stauffer brought a ladder truck to the ACS campus and the students were able to get a close-up look at the tools, hoses, gauges, and safety and rescue equipment.

During his presentation, Fireman Stauffer talked about how smoke detectors work and explained what to do in the event of a fire. Each class also had the opportunity to pose in front of the fire truck with Mr. Stauffer, including Mrs. Kelley’s PreK4 class.

Students also did classroom projects around the theme of fire prevention and safety. In Mrs. Kelley’s preschool class, students also drew pictures of a house on fire with the important message of — “Don’t hide, go outside, get help, call 911.”

We’re Hiring – Immediate Openings for Custodian, After-Care Worker, High School Language Arts Teacher, Substitutes

We’re Hiring! Applications are now being accepted for immediate openings for a full-time Custodian, a part-time After-Care Worker, a high school language arts teacher, and substitute teachers.

The work schedule of the custodian position will be Mondays-Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Applicants must have a minimum of one year of custodial/cleaning experience. The hours of the After-Care Worker, who would be supervising students from Kindergarten to the 8th grade, will be Mondays-Fridays from 3:00-5:30 p.m. The position of high school language arts teacher is to serve as a full-time, long-term substitute teacher to fill an opening due to a current faculty member going on maternity leave.

The language arts teacher must hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited post-secondary institution, and a language arts degree is preferred. A high school diploma is required for the custodian and after-care worker positions. For the position of substitute teacher, certified teachers with a degree are preferred, with a minimum of 60 college credits required. All ACS employees must be Christians, living their lives as Christian role models. Spiritual standards must be met and a background check is required.

CLICK HERE for more information and to apply.

Race for Education Just Three Weeks Away — Let’s Keep Reaching Out to Family, Friends to be a Race Sponsor

The Race for Education is just three weeks away and we need every student and teacher from PreK3 to the 12th grade to reach out to family members and friends to ask them to be a Race sponsor. Over $35,000 could be raised if every student and teacher received just $50 from their sponsors and if everyone raised $100 from sponsors that would total over $70,000! Please find time over this holiday weekend to send some emails or share the ACS Race flyer on Facebook and help us reach and exceed our $40,000 goal.

To date, ACS has received over $12,000 in donations and pledges from sponsors. Thank you to everyone who has already donated or reached out to prospective sponsors. Let’s keep pressing on over the next three weeks and encouraging others to come on board as sponsors.

Giving to the Race for Education is easy — just go to our Race website — www.race4ed.com/aceht.

An email was sent to every parent and staff member on Monday, October 4 encouraging everyone to participate in the Race fundraiser. The email included an email template that can be easily forwarded to family and friends. Just click the email’s “Forward” button, remove the message in the email and add your own, add your email addresses in the TO: field and hit send.

CLICK ON the flyer below to go to the Race donation website.