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Students Show Their Creative Side in Christmas Holiday Activities

Students from elementary to high school had an opportunity to express their creativity in several Christmas holiday activities on the last day of school in December.

Students and staff came to school on December 23 dressed in their ugliest Christmas sweaters and wearing Christmas-themed face masks, hoping to win prizes for their creativity. The prize winners were selected during chapels that day. 2nd grader Logan Dozier (pictured at bottom left with her class, seated third from right),  3rd grader Mathias Dye (pictured at bottom right, second from left) and 6th grader Jude Gibbs (pictured at left in the center), won the Ugliest Sweater Contest in the Elementary and Upper School divisions.

1st grader Alba Reed, 4th grader Amelia Crawford (pictured in 2nd row below, at left) and 6th grader Keira Frontino (pictured below with Upper School Principal Meg McHale), won first place for Best Christmas-Themed Face Mask. All the winners received a dress down pass and a gift card to Five Below.

In kindergarten, students decorated Christmas cookies to express their creativity.  The students were inspired after hearing Mrs. Reilly read the story of “The Gingerbread Man” and learned about how the mom decorated her gingerbread cookie, who then magically came to life. The students had decorating cookies shaped like Christmas trees and bells with M&Ms, gumdrops, sprinkles, and icing, and they got to take their cookies home.

In 5th grade, students collaborated on an original video project about the true meaning of Christmas. Each student appeared in the 2-minute-long video, produced by faculty member Bethany Kiefer, and spoke about different aspects of the Biblical meaning and significance of Christmas.  The video was posted on the ACS Facebook page on December 24 and can be viewed on the ACS YouTube channel.

CLICK HERE to view the 5th grade video on the true meaning of Christmas.

 

 

We Love Our Volunteers!

We thank God for the many volunteers who have helped advance the mission of ACS over the past 50 years. This new video, created as part of our 50th anniversary celebration, recognizes the many parents, grandparents, students, staff, and friends in the community who have freely given of their time, talents, and abilities to bless ACS. The video was shown to our students and staff during our Wednesday chapels on January 13, 2021 and posted on the ACS Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Check Out Our 2021 Winter Schedule of After-School Classes

Check the schedule below for the start dates and  fees for the classes being offered this winter. Registration flyers will be sent home with students this week.   

Art Workshop – 1st-5th 
Sherry Mirakian, ACS Art Teacher

This class begins with mixing color and then using it to create all kinds of special projects! Teacher will work with color printing inks, paint, pastels, and color papers. This class is open to students from 1st grade thru 5th grades. Parents should pick up their children at 4 pm in the Art Classroom trailer or any time after their child will be in After Care trailer.

Band – 4th-12th
Tim Rosie, ACS Music Director

Improve your band skills! This free class offeres two levels: beginner (meets on Mondays) and intermediate (meets on Tuesdays). Approval from Mr. Rosie is needed to join the intermediate class.

Gymnastics – K-5th
Blake’s Gymnastics

Learn the basics of gymnastics and build your skills each week. This 6-session class is designed to enhance your love for movement and make fitness a fun activity.

Intramural Basketball – 2nd-8th
Kaylee Breunig

This program, led by Varsity Girls Coach Kaylee Breunig, will feature 5 weekly sessions of skills development and game play. Young players will be mentored by experienced Varsity Girls’ team members.

Elementary Servant’s Heart Club – 2nd-5th
Jennifer DiMaio

Develop a love for serving God and blessing others in our community by working cooperatively on creative, hands-on projects at meetings on the first Tuesday of each month in the Multi-Purpose Room. Masks must be worn.

Snapology Workshops – PK3-K & 1st-5th
Snapology

Due to COVID restrictions, Snapology has decided to continue offering classes during the 2021 Winter Season. To view the list of classes, please go Virtual.Snapology.com.

Video Production for Beginners
Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney, K-12 Computer Teacher/Library Media Specialist

5-week introductory course on video recording, editing, and screencasting from Google Slides. Will work in the Computer Lab to design and develop videos including one that can be submitted for Bowls of Hope Video Contest. Includes learning how to organize media content.

Worship Team – 4th and 5th Grade Students
Teresa Bird, ACS Faculty

The 4th and 5th Grade Worship Teams, led by Mrs. Teresa Bird, rehearse once or twice a week. The teams lead worship at the weekly Elementary and Early Education chapels.

CLICK HERE to download a copy of the schedule and registration forms. 

2020-2021 Student Council Members Elected

Congratulations to the 17 middle school and high school students who were recently elected to the 2020-2021 Student Council. The election, overseen by faculty Advisor Dave Genter, was held on December 4 and council members will begin meeting in January to discuss their agenda for this school year.

Genter said the council members will help plan school and community service activities, strive to enrich the spiritual atmosphere of the school, and spearhead at least one all-school fundraiser to benefit a community organization or charity.

Following is a list of the officers and students who were elected to those positions:

12th Grade Officers –Sydney Pearson, President; Chloe Vogel, Vice President

10th Grade Officers — Cruz Lewis, President; Reyna Lewis, Vice President; Moges Johnson, Secretary/Treasurer (not pictured); Tommy Ellison, Chaplain

9th Grade Officers — Ryleigh Martin, President; Noelle Thompson, Vice President; Haven Sanchez, Secretary/Treasurer; Evangelina Kim, Chaplain

8th Grade Officers — Isabell Alford, President; Taylor Murphy, Secretary/Treasurer; Sophia Johnson, Chaplain

6th Grade Officers — Mackenzie Flynn, President; Isabella Santos, Vice President; Kiara Loo, Secretary/Treasurer; Annalena DiMaio, Chaplain

MAP Growth Learning Assessment Testing Underway for K-8 Students from January 11-22

Students in kindergarten to the 8th grade are taking a second round of the NWEA MAP Growth test from January 11-22 to assess their academic progress this school year. Results of the testing will be shared by teachers with parents and guardians during the Parent-Teacher Conferences scheduled for January 19-21, 2021, which will be held virtually via Zoom.

This is the second year that ACS is using the MAP Growth test, which replaced the TerraNova as a standardized test. The test, which is taken on a computer or Chromebook, measures reading, math, and language skills and is given three times during the school year — in October, January, and May.

Elementary School Principal Gail Alford said the test is an excellent assessment tool because the results are quickly available to teachers to help them identify student’s strengths and weaknesses, tailor classroom lessons, and set goals for students.

Intramural Basketball Starts Jan. 23, Registration Closes Friday, Jan. 15

Our popular Intramural Basketball Program for boys and girls in the 2nd to 8th grades will begin on Saturday, January 23 and Friday, January 15 is the last day to register for the program.

The intramural will be led by Varsity Girls’ Basketball coach Kaylee Breunig, with assistance from the high school players on the girls’ team. The cost of the 5-week program is $60 and includes a T-shirt.

The intramural will run from January 23 to February 20 and will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. in the ACS gym.

CLICK HERE for the registration form.  Please complete the form and submit it to the school office by Friday, January 15 with your payment of $60.

K-12th Grade Students Present Christmas Music in New Ways

Students from kindergarten to the 12th grade had the opportunity to present their musical talents in new ways to celebrate the birth of Christ in December as Music Director Tim Rosie adapted to COVID-19 restrictions that sidelined our annual Christmas concerts.

Elementary students in kindergarten to the 3rd grade performed Christmas selections during music classes the week of December 7 and their performances were recorded and then aired as a virtual concert online the week of December 14.  The virtual concert could also be viewed during December on the TV monitor in the school foyer.

The Upper School Choir serenaded students with Christmas carols as they arrived at school in the morning on December 21 and 22 and the Middle School Band performed several selections.  The 13 students who sang in the Upper School Choir are Ashlee Alford, Angela Awad, Annalena DiMaio, Aine Dorsey, Natalia Flores, Lucy Huff, Kylie Jackson, Ava Lombardi, Heather Milstead, Natalie Murphy, Isabella Santos, Alexis Shropshire, and Rachel Whisman. The 7 students who performed with the Middle School Band are Kylie Jackson, Garrett Martin, Natalie Murphy, Rowlee Murphy, Thomas Potenski, Alek Stein, and Nathanael Thompson.

CLICK HERE to enjoy the online K-3rd grade Christmas Concert

CLICK HERE to see one of the performances by the Middle School Choir.

Winter Basketball and Cheer Season Now Underway

The basketball and cheer teams are looking forward to an exciting season with games getting underway the week of January 25. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no spectators will be allowed in the stands, but fans will be able to watch the action remotely online.

Athletic Director Pam Hitchner said that home games of both the middle and high school basketball games will be live-streamed on the ACS YouTube channel and away games will also be available to watch online using links provided by other schools.

All links will be posted on the ACS website on the “High School Athletics” page and the ACS link is available below. Anyone who would like to get email notifications of live-streamed ACS home games when they are about to air on YouTube can do so by subscribing to the ACS YouTube channel.

The game schedules for middle school and high school are also posted on the ACS website under the “Athletics” tab and will be updated regularly as needed.

Hitchner said she was very pleased that over 70 middle school and high school students are participating on the various athletic teams, and even more came out for tryouts. “There is a lot of enthusiasm for our winter sports and we are taking every precaution to keep everyone safe and healthy throughout the season,” Hitchner said. “We will really miss hearing the cheers of our fans in the stands at the games, but we know they will be rooting for us from home.”

High School Season

The first high school home games of the season will be on Monday, January 25 against Buena Regional High School. The High School JV Boys’ team, under assistant coach and ACS alumnus Ben Chapman (’13), will begin its game at 4:00 p.m. The Varsity Boys’ team, under Dan Carney in his 5th year as head coach, will begin playing at 5:00 p.m. The High School Varsity Girls’ team will also play Buena Regional on January 25, but the game will be away at Buena and will start at 4:00 p.m. The team will be led by ACS alumnus Kaylee Breunig (’12), in her 4th year as head coach, and assistant coach Dara Kimmerley.

Middle School Season

The first middle school home games will be on Monday, February 1 against Pilgrim Academy. The game start time for the Middle School Girls’ team, under head coach and ACS alumnus Grant Miller (’07), will be 4:00 p.m. The game start time for the Middle School Boys’ team, under head coach Lee Martin, will be at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Cheer Season

Twenty-three middle school and high school students are part of this year’s cheerleading squad, co-coached by staff members Mrs. Kelly Flynn and Mrs. Morgan Gibson. Practices got underway in early December to prepare for the season. The squad plans to cheer at home games to support our middle school and high school teams. The intramural cheer squad for students in 1st-5th grade, which practiced in November and December, is planning to cheer at several upcoming home games, dates to be determined.

CLICK HERE for the online link to watch the ACS home games on YouTube.

Classroom Cameo: 2nd Graders Learn About Habitats and the Animals That Thrive in Them

The students in Amy Williams’ second grade class have been learning about the different habitats that are home to polar bears, snakes, jaguars, parrots, and other animals and recently built creative three-dimensional dioramas as part of a winter science project.

The dioramas, which were completed on January 8, are now on display in the hallway outside Ms. Williams’ classroom. As part of the assignment, the students have also been giving oral reports on the animals they chose and their habitats. On Thursday, January 14, Lily Kimmerley and Dominik Gilbert presented their projects. Lily talked about pandas and their mountain habitat and Dominik presented his diorama on grey wolves and their mountain and forest habitats.

“The students have done a great job with their projects,” Williams said. “My favorite part is seeing them learn how an animal can be endangered if their habitat is disrupted if something they rely on is harmed or removed. God put us in charge of the animals and our job is to nurture and care for the environment so their survival is not threatened.”

In addition to the panda and grey wolf, other animals the students studied included deer, ducks, penguins, monkeys, and sea turtles and their habitats including the ocean, desert, jungle, rain forest, and savannah.

 

Giving Tree Christmas Service Project Raises Over $4,500 for Charitable Organizations Serving Locally, Abroad

Miss Williams’ 2nd grade class raised the most funds overall and among other elementary classes for their charity — the Atlantic City Rescue Mission.

Our “Giving Tree” Christmas service project and contest concluded on December 21 and generous gifts from family members and friends helped raise over $4,500 to be distributed to charities serving in our local community and around the world.

Twenty-four classes from kindergarten to the 12th grade participated in the project, each decorating a Christmas tree in their classroom with a theme reflecting the charity that the students chose to support and seeking donations to support their charity.

Congratulations to the students in Miss Williams’ 2nd grade class for raising the most overall for their charity, the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, and also winning the Elementary Division, raising $617.50. The students in Mrs. Coates’ 6th grade class won the Middle School/High School division, raising $422.50 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Mrs. Coates’ 6th grade class raised the most funds among Middle School/High School classes and supported the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Two other classes won first place for the best creativity in decorating their tree to reflect their chosen charity. Mrs. McCarthy’s 3rd grade class won in the Elementary Division, with a tree decorated for their charity — the Scullville Volunteer Fire Department, and Mrs. Flath’s 11th grade class won first place in the Middle School/High School division, with a tree decorated for their charity — the Humane Society of Atlantic County. Each of the winning classes will receive either a free pizza party or an ice cream party in January.

“We are thrilled with the way our students and our school families responded to this new service project and got involved in helping raise funds to give back to many worthy organizations who are serving in our community and abroad,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen.

The charities who were supported in the Giving Tree Project were: the Alex’s Lemonade Stand; the American Red Cross; the Atlantic City Rescue Mission; the Cape May Zoo; Camp Haluwasa; the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Southern Branch; Compassion International; the Fellowship of Christian Athletes; the Funny Farm; the Hope Pregnancy Center; the Humane Society of Atlantic County; If Not for Grace Ministries; the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; the Northfield Dyslexia Center; Rio Missions; the Ronald McDonald House; Samaritan’s Purse; the Scullville Volunteer Fire Department; St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital; Toys for Tots; Wounded Warriors; and 4Ocean. All donations received are being given to the designated charities.

Christmas Chapels Feature Songs, Skits Presented by Middle School, High School Worship Teams

“A Campfire Christmas” was the theme of this year’s Christmas chapels on December 16 and 23, with students in the Middle School and High School Worship teams singing and dancing to favorite Christmas songs and presenting mini-skits while gathered on stage around a simulated campfire. Middle school faculty member Mrs. Celine Melody presented a skit about the true meaning of Christmas that featured 8th grader Joshua Kinch playing the role of the father.

The student-led chapels featured Christmas songs selected by the students in the worship teams because they had special significance in their lives, according to Mrs. Kelly Flynn, who directs the worship teams.  The chapel program opened with “Joy to the World,” followed by several upbeat songs including “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock,” and the students and staff in the audience were encouraged to sing and clap along.

Several students were featured in solos at the December 16 elementary and middle school chapels, including 7th grader Ava Barberio singing “O Holy Night” and 6th grader Autumn Henson and 8th graders Autumn Loo and Jadelyn Maurer in “Mary Did You Know.”

“It was wonderful to see the students having fun singing and dancing to some of their favorite Christmas songs and then taking the time to dig deep and focus on the true meaning of Christmas and to share that salvation story with their fellow students,” Mrs. Flynn said. In the December 16 chapels, Mrs. Flynn closed the program with a moving solo performance of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

At the December 23 chapel, the High School Worship Team performed a stirring rendition of “Mary Did You Know”  and closed the chapel with “A Christmas Hallelujah.” Featured soloists in the two soulful songs were Elizabeth Alford (11th), Destiny Brewer (11th), Tommy Ellision (10th), Evangelina Kim (9th), and Rebekah Kimmerley (12th).

 

A Christmas Reflection from Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen

Over two thousand years ago, the birth of a baby boy named Jesus in the small town of Bethlehem forever changed the course of human history.  That baby was the Son of God, the promised Messiah, who was sent to rescue mankind from the chaos and condemnation of sin. Christmas is a time to reflect on God’s perfect plan of salvation and to put our hope and trust in the creator of the universe.

The year 2020 has been like no other, with the world reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.  On many occasions, I have been burdened with concern for the difficulties facing so many in our school family.  I am thankful that God reminded me through His Word of His faithfulness, which can be summed up in two simple words — “But God.”

  • The world was covered with water and Noah and his family were in the ark — But God remembered his love for Noah, receded the waters from the earth, and put a rainbow of promise in the sky.
  • Joseph was taken and sold into slavery and his brothers meant it for evil — But God meant it for good.
  • Saul sought to kill David and take his life — But God protected him.
  • Jonah was swallowed by a whale and while in the belly he cried because all was lost — But God delivered him and put him on dry ground.
  • Jesus was beaten and crucified — But God raised him from the dead to give us eternal life.

In this life, there will be no shortage of obstacles, uncertainties, and problems, but God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is our refuge and strength and sovereign over all.  In times of difficulty, He wants us to draw closer to Him and to stand firm in our faith. As the Apostle Paul wrote to encourage believers in Romans 15:13 —  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.”

Merry Christmas and I wish you all a rich time of rest and celebration during this Christmas season.

In His Service,

Karen M. Oblen, M.Ed.
Chief School Administrator

2020 Race for Education Winners Announced

Thank you to all our donors, student and teacher participants, and volunteers for making our 2020 Race for Education a success! This year’s Race raised over $40,000 for our Annual Fund and the students and classes who excelled in their fundraising efforts were announced and recognized during our December 16 chapels.

2nd grader Erik Macpherson, pictured at left, is this year’s Student Grand Prize Winner, raising $1,010 through gifts from his sponsors. Mrs. Fosbenner’s 3rd grade class, pictured below, was recognized as the Early Ed/Elementary Class Grand Prize Winner for raising $2,605. Mrs. Coates’ 6th Grade Class raised $3,405 winning the Middle School Class Grand Prize and raising the most in class donations overall. Ms. Stonelake’s 10th grade class raised $515 and received the High School Class Grand Prize.

Student Grand Prize Winner Macpherson received a special certificate redeemable for a Season Pass to Ocean City Water Park while the Class Grand Prize Winners received certificates for a class outing to either the Get Air Trampoline Park or the Playland Castaway Cove.

Additional prizes were also awarded for student participation:

Dress Down Day or Snack Pass Prize
Awarded to 98 students who received 3 or more donations.

Five Below $10 Gift Card Prize
Awarded to the one student in each class that received the most sponsors.
• PK3A – Hunter Thomas Van Hettinga
• PK3B – Minna Ali
• PK4A – Bennett Smith
• PK4B – Ryan Kulp
• KA – Brooklynn Smith
• KB – Lacey Hughes
• 1A – Damon Cooper
• 1B – Dallas Oglesby
• 2A – Jayden Bird
• 2B – Erik Macpherson
• 3A – Jeremiah Settles
• 3B – Raquel Crespo
• 4A – Peyton Hiller
• 4B – Gabriel Hudec
• 5A – Adrian Hinchman
• 5B – Liam Aspenberg
• 6A – Isabella Santos
• 6B – Mackenzie Flynn
• 7A – Joseph McCrae
• 7B – Gianna Flynn
• 8A – Taylor Sutton
• 8B – Richard Jackson
• 9 – Ryleigh Martin
• 10A – Allison Schlundt
• 10B – Summer Scott
• 11A – Asher Dawkins
• 11B – Haley Whedbee
• 12 – Eoin Mack

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTO GALLERY

Early Education Students Present Joyous Christmas Program

The jingle-jangle sound of silver sleigh bells rang out to open the Early Education Christmas program on December 8, getting family members and friends into the Christmas spirit.  The program featured ACS preschool-aged students dressed in their favorite Christmas pajamas singing songs that celebrated the birth of Jesus, interspersed with an interactive reading of the Christmas story by Early Education Director Gail Alford.

The concert began with the infants and toddlers performing “Ring Christmas Bells,” followed by six preschool classes from PreK2 to PreK4 singing and doing choreography to a variety of Christmas songs, including “Jesus, Savior of the World,” “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” “Jump for Joy,” and “Happy Birthday Jesus.”

Between each class performance, Mrs. Alford gathered for a special story time in front of a large Christmas tree to read the Christmas story out loud as several students from Mrs. Bird’s PreK4 class listened and asked questions. The students who were part of the story time were Robert O’Donoghue, Brielle Sabulao, Jackson Sawatzke, Julian Walder, and Johannah Wilson.

ACS school parent Lee Martin presented a Christmas message for the families and friends gathered in the audience, before the PreK4 students closed the concert with an energetic rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The concert was performed in three separate ticketed events to limit the audience size and ensure safe social distancing. The concert was also live-streamed and recorded. CLICK HERE to view the concert on the ACS YouTube channel.

 

12th Grader Katherine Kong Wins Christmas Card Art Design Contest

Congratulations to 12th grader Katherine Kong for winning first place for the second year in a row in the ACS Christmas Card Art Design Contest. Her original art design is being featured on the cover of our school’s annual Christmas card that several thousand families and friends will receive in the mail by Christmas.

In addition to Katherine, four other students were recognized for their outstanding designs: 2nd place – Noelle Thompson (9th grade); 3rd place – Aine Dorsey (8th grade); 4th place – Summer Scott (10th grade); and 5th place – Shelby Einwechter (12th grade).

Thirty-seven students in Ms. Mirakian’s 8B Art Class and high school students in Art Appreciation and Art Workshop submitted cover art designs for the contest. A faculty-staff panel of judges selected the winners, who were recognized and presented with award ribbons during Upper School chapel on December 9.

 

Christmas Card Design Contest Winners Announced — From left: Art teacher Sherry Mirakian; 8th grader Aine Dorsey (3rd place); 12th grader Shelby Einwechter (5th place); 10th grader Summer Scott (4th place); 9th grader Noelle Thompson (2nd place); 12th grader Katherine Kong (1st place).

Katherine’s card design, done with markers, colored pencils, and metallic pen on card stock, captures a quiet night scene of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus lying in the manger and incorporates the message spoken by the angel to Joseph in Matthew 1:21 — “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

“This is the fourth year we have held this Christmas card art contest and the designs just keep getting better and better,” Ms. Mirakian said. “This contest gives our students an opportunity to discover and develop their God-given artistic abilities and to understand how art can be a powerful medium to share the gospel message.” All of the Christmas card designs will be on display in December and January on a large school bulletin board in the main school hallway adjacent  next to the Multi-Purpose Room.

 

Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher Children’s Book Featured During Library Story Time Inspires Students to Give to the Needy

Story time for elementary students in the school library in December featured the “Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher,” a whimsical tale about a fanciful flying creature named Snitcher who steals the colorful candy sprinkles used to decorate Christmas cookies, but in the end learns an important lesson — that Christmas is not about being greedy; Christmas is spreading sprinks to the needy.

The story was also brought to life on a festive bulletin board display in the hallway outside the library, which was decorated with paper Christmas  cookies made by the students and drawings of the Snitcher and other characters in the story, hand drawn and colored by 8th grader Aine Dorsey.

Library media specialist Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney said she chose to feature the engaging children’s story during story time because its message tied in well with the “The Giving Tree” all-school charity fundraiser being held during December. For the Giving Tree fundraiser, classrooms from kindergarten to 12th grade have chosen to raise funds to support a particular charity and decorated a Christmas tree in their classroom around the theme of their charity.

Elementary students visit the library weekly throughout the school year to check out and return books, learn library research skills, and to listen together as Mrs. Hahn-Chaney reads from an engaging children’s storybook.

 

Teacher Creates Christmas Prayer Tree on Classroom Wall as Reminder to Pray for Students

As students enter Mrs. Gina Wilson’s high school classroom, they can’t help but see the display of colorful cards arranged like a Christmas tree on the wall. But the display will not go down after Christmas because the tree is actually a Prayer Tree — and hanging on the tree are cards with the names of the students in Mrs. Wilson’s classes.

Mrs. Wilson started her first prayer tree in August 2019, soon after she was hired to teach high school math, including Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Honors Algebra 2, Geometry, and Honors Geometry.

“God put it on my heart last year to make a prayer wall with all of my students’ names so I would be reminded to pray for them constantly,” Mrs. Wilson said. “As I arranged the cards on the wall, it became clear that it was taking the shape of a Christmas tree.” She created a new prayer tree for this school year in early December, and there are 71 names on the tree.

“I realized that there was a greater purpose for me here than just teaching math,” Wilson said. “Part of my job is to pray for my students and to let them know that they are special and that I love and care about them.”

After putting up this year’s prayer tree display, Mrs. Wilson took time during her classes to briefly explain the purpose of the tree.  “There has been a lot of positive feedback from my students about the tree and they really appreciate knowing that we as teachers are taking time out to pray for each of them,” Mrs. Wilson said.

Each week, Mrs. Wilson pulls five or six cards off the tree and takes them home. She and her husband, Pastor John Wilson of North Harbor Church in Northfield, enjoy spending time together in prayer and will pray specifically for the students named on her cards.  Mrs. Wilson said sometimes students have removed their card from the tree and asked her to specifically pray for them.

“Sometimes I will pull a card because I know a student is going through a difficult time, but others are pulled randomly,” Mrs. Wilson said. “It’s been interesting to see how many times the students who needed the most prayer were the ones whose cards had been pulled for specific and fervent prayer.”

 

 

How ACS Informs Families About Winter Weather Closures

As the winter season gets underway, we want to be sure that parents and guardians are aware of our communication guidelines in the event that school is cancelled due to inclement weather. ACS parents and guardians will be notified by 6:00 a.m. and the decision to close will be communicated to parents and guardians in a variety of ways.

Closing notification will be disseminated in the following ways:

  • An automated text message will be sent to the cell phone number of all parents’/guardian’s who are listed as the primary contact in Renweb;
  • Posting on the ACS Website home page;
  • Posting on the ACS Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds;
  • Media notifications — ACS will notify local radio stations – WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM/1450 AM; WOND 1400 AM; 6-ABC TV and NBC-10 TV stations.

ACS Wins Cross Country Meet Vs. Kings Christian School

Ten middle school and high school athletes competed in a cross country meet with King’s Christian School on November 13 and the ACS team won the meet, with 10th grader Tommy Ellison coming in first place overall, finishing the 3.1 mile course in 19:42 minutes.

Ellison also came in 1st place in the category of High School Boys and 9th grader Alicia O’Donnell came in first place in the High School Girls category, with a time of 24:45 minutes (both pictured below left).  8th grader Jayden Sanchez came in 3rd place overall and second place in the category of Middle School Boys, with a time of 21:39 minutes, and 8th grader Taylor Murphy took second place in the category of Middle School Girls, and finished in 10th place with a time of 25:52 minutes (both picture below right).

“This was the first time we had the opportunity to compete against King’s Christian in cross country and our athletes did a great job,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner, who traveled with the team to the meet, which was held at Pennypacker Park in Haddonfield, NJ. “We have some strong long-distance runners and will be looking for more races to enter in the future to help our athletes improve their skills.” Hitchner said King’s Christian entered seven runners in the meet.

The six other ACS athletes who competed in the meet were:

8th grader Charlie Costello (4th overall, 3rd in MS Boys)
7th grader Calvin Costello  (5th overall, 4th in MS Boys)
8th grader Taylor Murphy (10th overall, 2nd in MS Girls)
8th grader Isabell Alford (11th overall, 3rd in MS Girls)
12th grader Gabriel Catusse-Martinella (13th overall, 3th in HS Boys)
7th grader Marley Odell (14th overall, 4th place in MS Girls)
7th grader Stephanie Valdes (16th overall)

 

 

 

 

12th Grader Sydney Pearson Receives Widener University Leadership Award

Congratulations to 12th grader Sydney Pearson for recently being selected to receive Widener University’s High School Leadership Award. Upper School Principal Meg McHale nominated Sydney for the award, recognizing her for making a difference by leading her peers on the ACS varsity athletic teams and being an active member of the school community.

In its ninth year, the highly-competitive awards program recognized 160 students from high schools in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania for their abilities to stand up for what is right, address a wrong, and make a difference in their communities or schools. Honorees gathered for a virtual awards event on November 6.  “Sydney is a strong,  natural leader who boldly stands up for her convictions,” Mrs. McHale said. “I am very pleased that she was chosen by Widener as one of the outstanding high school leaders in our region.”

Award recipients will receive a scholarship of $20,000 over four years and be named an Apogee Scholar should they choose to enroll at Widener University as a freshman for undergraduate studies. The award recipients also receive a leadership certificate and are invited to participate in a leadership development experience at Widener’s campus in Chester, Pennsylvania. Sydney is planning to pursue a career  in nursing and has not yet selected where she plans to attend college.

The leadership awards program was launched in 2011 by Widener University and WCAU-TV NBC 10 to recognize high school students in the region who embody the university’s commitment to develop and inspire leaders to affect positive change.

Xspero Digital Gift Cards – BOGO Deal For Christmas; Xspero Gives 20% Back to ACS

Gift cards to local restaurants make great Christmas gifts. During this season of giving, Xspero, a digital shopping app for your phone, is offering a pecial BOGO deal. When you buy one Xspero Digital Gift Card, you are not only giving 20% to ACS as your favorite charity – but you can also receive another digital gift card – FREE.

Buy one, get one FREE at selected Xspero merchants from now until December 31. Your free digital gift card will arrive by email within 48 hours. Give gift cards to your family, friends, favorite teachers, or even yourself!

A number of Atlantic County restaurants and other businesses are part of the Xspero network, including Atlantic City Sub Shops; La Cucina Ristorante; Little Italy; Naomi’s Cafe; Pets Plus; Sal’s Coal Fired Pizza; Sack ‘O Subs, Ocean City; Stir It Up; Tacocat; Vagabond Kitchen and Tap House (Atlantic City); and Your Chiropractor. New merchants are being added regularly so check back often to see if there are any more restaurants or shops in your area.

If you want to purchase gift cards through Xspero and you aren’t part of the Xspero network, it’s easy to join. Just download the Xspero app on your mobile phone and help raise funds through your normal spending. Text ACT to the number 47-47-47 or from your phone go to https://links.xspero.com/ACS.

 

 

Giving Tree Contest

“The Giving Tree” contest, a new service project to encourage our students from kindergarten to 12th grade to give back during this holiday season to charities in our community, starts this week!  Classes decorated their Giving Trees and are competing for two prizes:  raising the most money for their charity and for the best creativity in decorating design. All donations received will be given to the designated charities.  The contest ends Monday, December 21 and winners will be announced on Wednesday, December 23.

Click here to support your class and donate to the different charities

 

50th Anniversary Throwback Thursday Photo Contest Underway — October and November Contest Winners Announced

Our 50th Anniversary “Throwback Thursday Photo Contest” has announced its first two winners — faculty member Sara Coates for October and Early Education teacher’s aide and alumnus Abigail Vogel (’18) for November.

The prizes were gift cards to Buffalo Wild Wings and Chick-fil-A. A new winner will be selected each month through April 2021.

How do you enter the contest? Just email to CONTEST@ACSEHT.ORG your best guesses about any of the photos we post on the ACS Facebook and Instagram pages.

Earn points by identifying: 1) the year the photo was taken; 2) where the photo was taken; 3) the occasion of the photo; and 4) the names of the people in the photo.

A new photo is posted each Thursday on the ACS Facebook page, the ACS Stronger Together Facebook group page, and Instagram. The photo is also posted on a bulletin board in the Multi-Purpose Room, displayed in the school foyer video, and on the ACS website.

We welcome all ACS family members, students, staff, alumni, alumni parents, and friends in the community to participate in our Throwback Thursday Photo Contest. Let’s celebrate the great memories made by the thousands of students, families, and staff who have been a part of ACS over the past 50 years.

Below is the first Throwback Thursday photo for the month of December:

 

 

ACS Employees Honor Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen with Surprise 25th Anniversary Party

ACS faculty and staff threw a surprise party for Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen on December 2 to celebrate her 25th anniversary at Atlantic Christian School. In impromptu remarks, various teachers and administrators thanked Mrs. Oblen for her inspiring example as a woman of faith, an encourager and good listener, and a humble leader who has prayerfully sought God’s direction for the school.

Mrs. Oblen shared that she began her career in education at Atlantic Christian School in 1995. She left her job as a manager at Tilton Fitness Club to fill an opening for a part-time PE teacher. “I originally came to enroll my daughter, Kelly, in kindergarten, but I definitely felt God directing me to come to work at ACS and I have never looked back,” Mrs. Oblen said. “God has always provided and He has been so faithful to ACS. I am thankful to have been a part of this school for 25 years and I am thankful for all of you.” As special mementos, faculty and staff gave Mrs. Oblen hand-written cards sharing a favorite memory or an expression of appreciation for her friendship and leadership.

On behalf of the faculty and staff, Business Administrator Kelly Flynn presented Mrs. Oblen with a 25th anniversary commemorative plaque and a number of employees were given 25th anniversary T-shirts to wear that had a photo of Mrs. Oblen from her early years at ACS as a sixth grade teacher.  A celebration cake was inscribed with the message — “25 Years and Still Going Strong.”

Mrs. Oblen taught middle school and high school science from 2005 to 2009. After earning her Masters in 2008, Mrs. Oblen was appointed Curriculum Coordinator at ACS and chaired the school’s first Accreditation Steering Committee. From 2010-2012, she served as Upper School Principal and then K-12 Principal. She has served as the Chief School Administrator since 2012.

Thank you, Mrs. Oblen, for your faithful service to the Lord, Atlantic Christian School, and its students and staff.

Students Show Their Love, Appreciation for Grandparents at Virtual Chapels on November 25

Students from kindergarten to high school sent heart-felt messages of love and appreciation to their grandparents at special chapels on November 25 as grandparents watched online, unable to attend this popular annual school event in person due to required health and safety protocols related to the coronavirus.

Elementary Principal Gail Alford and Upper School Principal Meg McHale opened the two chapel programs with prayer and thanked the grandparents for their love and for being involved in the lives of their grandchildren.  Mrs. McHale noted that the Bible speaks of the important relationship between grandparents and grandchildren, quoting from Proverbs 17:6, which says: “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.”

A musical program followed, with performances by the kindergarten classes and the Middle School Worship Team. Students in the Middle School sign language class signed to the fitting Josh Groban song “You Raise Me Up” as a collage of photos of ACS grandparents appeared behind them on a video screen.

The featured speaker was Carlo Lenzi, grandfather to 7th grader Gianna Flynn and 6th grader Mackenzie Flynn, and father of ACS Business Administrator Kelly Flynn. Mr. Lenzi traveled from his home state of New York to give an uplifting message to the students about how special they are in God’s eyes and in the eyes of their grandparents.  Mr. Lenzi’s career has been in restaurant and event management and he is the senior sales director at American Golf in Brooklyn.

“What’s important in life is not the amount of likes you have on Facebook,” Mr. Lenzi said. “It’s important to know who you are — that you are a child of God and you have special gifts and a calling on your life.” Lenzi also encouraged the students to appreciate their grandparents and the sacrifices that many of them made to create a better life for their children and grandchildren.   “Right now, life is difficult with wearing masks and being sequestered and many of you are separated from your grandparents and loved ones, but we’ll get through this and we’ll be back together again soon.”

Mr. Lenzi also had fun with the students showing off a variety of popular toys, games, and candy that he and other grandparents enjoyed when they were children back in the 1970s, like slinkies, silly putty, and the hula hoop. He even tried taking a short ride on a skateboard. High school senior Sydney Pearson closed the chapels in prayer.

CLICK HERE to watch the YouTube video of the Grandparents Day program.

CLICK HERE to view a photo gallery of the Grandparents Day chapel.