What does it mean to be “Deeply Rooted”? Students began exploring the answer to that question during the first Thursday chapels of the school year on September 9. Elementary Principal Gail Alford and Upper School Principal Meg McHale spoke during the Elementary and Middle School/High School Chapels about the meaning of our 2021-2022 Spiritual Development Theme drawn from Jeremiah 17:7-8. The theme was also introduced during the devotional at the Early Ed and Kindergarten Chapel on September 10.
Alford and McHale talked to the students about the importance of having faith that is deeply rooted in God’s Word so that they are able to to stand firm and strong when temptations come and the lies of the world challenge their faith.
“As young people, you are surrounded by so much pressure to conform to what society says is normal or true, but society’s norms do not line up with the truth in the Word of God,” said Mrs. McHale, pictured below left, during the Upper School Chapel. “We have to study and know what God wants us to be, the way He designed us, and stand firm with deep roots in that knowledge.”
Mrs. Alford encouraged the 1st-5th graders in Elementary Chapel to help make their faith deeply rooted by surrounding themselves with friends who will encourage them in their faith, to attend church regularly, and to read their Bible every day. “We want to see each of you grow into a tree that everyone loves to see, that is strong with healthy roots,” said Alford, pictured below right.
The Spiritual Development Theme and verse are being prominently displayed on posters and on bulletin boards throughout the school building and in classrooms. On the first day of school, faculty and staff wore T-shirts promoting the theme and students will soon be receiving class T-shirts with the theme to wear throughout the year.
Please pray with us that our students will grow closer in their relationship with God throughout this year as they encounter lessons and activities focused on being deeply rooted — fearless and blessed.
ACS teachers worked hard preparing their classrooms to be a warm, loving, and welcoming place for their students as the school year got underway on September 8. In late August, teachers and staff attended In-Service training and workshops where they had an opportunity to get acquainted, review school policies and procedures, and focus on this year’s spiritual development theme — “Deeply Rooted” — based on Jeremiah 17:7-8.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend our upcoming Back-to-School Nights on Tuesday, September 14, and Tuesday, September 21. The September 14 event is for parents and guardians of children in kindergarten to the 5th grade and the September 21 event is for parents and guardians of students in the 6th-12th grades. Both events will begin at 6:30 p.m. and masks will be required to be worn when indoors.
We invite all of our ACS families, faculty, and staff to make plans to attend our 17th annual family Back-to-School BBQ on Friday, September 17, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. The BBQ menu will include hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled BBQ pork, a variety of salads, Kona water ice, and much more, with games and activities for our students to enjoy. The BBQ is a great way to meet new families, see old friends, and get better acquainted with each other as a school family.
Congratulations to our Varsity Soccer teams for both chalking up a win on Friday, September 10 in a non-league game at home against Veritas Christian Academy from Sparta, NJ. The Varsity Boys won 5-1 and the Varsity Girls won 5-3. We’re excited to see these teams continue to grow and get stronger as they begin conference play next week against Pilgrim Academy and Gloucester County Christian School. Tryouts for our Middle School Soccer Teams will be on Monday, September 13. The tryouts were rescheduled from September 9 due to rain. Come out, bring your cleats and a water bottle, and be part of a great program that focuses on building skills, confidence, and good sportsmanship.
Impact your children’s lives and ACS through prayer. Be a part of the ACS Parents in Prayer Group that will meet throughout the school year on Tuesday mornings from 9:00-9:45 a.m. in the Extended Care annex trailer. The first prayer meeting will be Tuesday, September 14 and all parents and guardians are welcome to attend. Masks must be worn when indoors.
The fall schedule of After-School Classes will be coming out soon and there will be something for everyone. The first classes to be offered on the schedule — Beginning and Intermediate Band — will start the week of September 20. There will also be STEAM-focused classes and classes promoting the benefits of health and exercise, including intramural cheerleading and baseball. The fall schedule will be sent home with students the end of next week along with class registration forms and will also be posted on the ACS website.
We’re still in the final round of voting for the Best of the Press 2021 Awards. Vote for ACS for Best Child Daycare Center and Best Summer Camp. Please keep voting daily — once on any device. Voting ends at midnight on September 19. Only the top 3 vote-getters will win a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Medal — so let’s aim for the GOLD!
PTF Philly Pretzel Mondays and Popcorn Wednesdays are back! This coming Monday, September 13, the Parent-Teacher Fellowship will be selling Philly Pretzel Factory Soft Pretzels during lunch for $1, and on Wednesday, September 15, will be selling bags of popcorn for $1. Pretzels and popcorn cannot be purchased online through lunch ordering on RenWeb.
Our Summer Camp and Early Education Center are in the Top 5 to win a Best of the Press Award, but we need your votes. Vote once a day from now through September 19 and help us collect as many votes as possible. Only the top 3 vote-getters will win a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Medal. Thank you to everyone who voted during the nominating round last month.
Important updates to the new ACS Family App for mobile phones went into effect last week so anyone who has already downloaded the app to their Android or iPhone mobile phones needs to update the app or delete it and reload the app from the app store as soon as possible. If you not have the ACS App yet, you will automatically receive the updated version when you download the app.
Calling All Actors! — The adventure-filled musical, Peter Pan Jr., is coming to ACS this November. Auditions are open to ACS students in grades 3-12 and will held be on September 8 and 9. Please register online to select your audition time slot. Students can also select the specific role for which they would like to audition.
Calling all middle school boys and girls to put on their cleats and come out for soccer tryouts on Thursday, September 9, starting at 3:30 p.m. Our middle school teams will be playing against public and non-public schools in the competitive Atlantic Cape Junior High League. Come on out and be a part of a program that focuses on teamwork, building skills, and learning the importance of good sportsmanship.
The ACS Lunch Program will be available to students starting on the first day of school, Wednesday, September 8. Our delicious, healthy hot and cold catered lunches, which include a fruit and beverage, are once again being provided by Towne & Country Cafe, owned by ACS alumni parent Steve Thomas. Lunches must be ordered online through RenWeb by 3 p.m. on the day prior.
ACS staff members, contractors, and a number of volunteers worked diligently over the summer to accomplish important facility improvements on our school campus. The largest project involved renovating seven classrooms in modular buildings across from the main school building. Parents and students had a chance to tour the new classrooms on September 2 as part of New Family Orientation.
An enthusiastic team of some 30 student and parent volunteers turned out for our two Back-to-School Work Days on August 26 and 30. Faculty, staff, and volunteers worked side-by-side and helped relocated six classrooms to our newly renovated modular buildings. They also built health and safety shields to place on the cafeteria tables, helped with cleaning, and much more. Thank you for your hearts to serve. Your help really made a difference.
10th grader Evangelina Kim knows her way around the softball field and in late July the talented shortstop helped her team — the NJ Firecrackers — excel at the USSSA softball league’s Northeast Regional National Championships held in Salisbury, Maryland. The NJ Firecrackers placed 3rd out of 48 teams from North Carolina to Maine that competed in the week-long tournament. Even more impressive is that Eva’s team was comprised of 14- and 15-year-olds who played up in the 16- to 17-year-old division.
The tournament concluded the season for the NJ Firecrackers, who are based out of Mays Landing and played year-round. The team, coached by John D’Agostino, opened each game with prayer in the huddle.
The ACS campus was buzzing with activity all summer long as children from preschool to the sixth grade attended our popular, award-winning Cougar Camp and Early Education summer program. Faculty member Eric Tardif, in his second year as Cougar Camp Director, put together an exciting schedule of weekly-themed activities for nearly 90 campers who attended two or more days a week. “It was a summer filled with laughter, joy, and making memories,” said Tardif on the final day of camp on August 27. Early Education Director and Elementary Principal Gail Alford oversaw the Early Ed summer camp program for nearly 100 preschool and kindergarten-aged children.
Shopping for the new school year? Shop on AmazonSmile for back-to-school items and support ACS!
ACS SpiritWear is now on sale, sponsored by the Parent-Teacher Fellowship (PTF), featuring a variety of hoodies and sweatshirts and a new personalized water bottle. Your purchase of ACS SpiritWear promotes school spirit and raises funds for the school. SpiritWear is for ACS families, with sizes available from preschool to adult. SpiritWear is also approved apparel that can be worn by students during the school day. The deadline to place your order is Friday, September 10.
The ACS Administration will be finalizing and distributing the school’s COVID-19 Mask Policy for the 2021-2022 school year to school families next week. The policy will incorporate the unanimous decision by the ACS Board of Directors at its regular August 16, 2021 meeting to give parents the ability to choose, through the use of an informed consent form, whether or not their children will be wearing a mask during school hours.
We need volunteers to serve lunch and help with light clean-up. Volunteers can be parents, grandparents, and other friends of ACS. Services Coordinator Anne Block is now putting together her fall schedule so please contact her as soon as possible if you are able to serve our school and students in this way.
Volunteers are needed on Thursday, August 26 to help us get ready for the new school as we relocate some classrooms and open new classrooms in our modular buildings. We’re excited about the way God is growing our school and we welcome our school families to help us get ready for the new year. There are two 3-hour shifts for volunteers to choose from — 9 a.m. to Noon and Noon to 3 p.m.