Post Tagged with: "South Jersey"

Middle School Basketball Tryouts Next Week, Cheerleading Begins

Middle School Basketball try-outs will be held on Monday, November, 26.  The girls’ team, coached by Mr. Grant Miller, will have tryouts at Greentree Church located at 125 School House Road, Egg Harbor Township. The boys’ team, coached by Mr. Lee Martin, will have tryouts at Linwood Community Church located at 1838 Shore Road, Linwood. Transportation to practice will be provided, but students will need to be picked up from their practice location. The girls’ practice will end at 5:00 pm and the boys’ will end at 5:30 pm.

Cheerleading, coached by Mrs. Kelly Flynn, will have an orientation meeting and begin practice at 3:15 pm in the bus loop foyer.

Christmas Poinsettia Sale Kicks Off This Week – Orders Due by November 30

ACS is selling beautiful poinsettia plants for the Christmas season and the proceeds will support the ACS Junior Class and the ACS “Take Note Choral Ensemble,” which will be performing at Carnegie Hall with Christian artist Lauren Daigle in January. A poinsettia sale flyer with an order form was sent home with Early Ed-8th grade students this week.  All orders must be received in the school office by Friday, November 30.

The poinsettias are available in three colors — red,  pink, and white — and come in four different sizes — a 6.5-inch pot with 1 plant and 3-6 blooms; a 7.5-inch pot with 2 plants and 6-12 blooms; an 8.5-inch pot with 3 plants and 12-16 blooms; and a 10-inch pot with 4 plants and 16+ blooms. The prices for the poinsettias range from $12 to $40 each.  The poinsettias will be used to decorate the ACS stage in the gymnasium for our December Christmas concerts and the plants can be picked up after any one of the performances on December 13 and 14.

CLICK HERE to view or print out the flyer with the order form. Thank you for your support.

ACS Students Participate in State, National Recycle Bowl Contest, Also Create Art From Recycled Materials

ACS students participated in a month-long contest focused on promoting recycling that concluded on November 15. Middle school students, under the direction of science teacher Celine Melody, collected bags of recycling from elementary classrooms and administrative offices each week, and weighed and tallied the amount collected as the part of their school’s participation in the state and national Recycle Bowl contest. High school students also collected and tabulated the school’s recycling efforts carried out in classrooms and offices on the second floor of the school building. The Atlantic County Utilities Authority assisted ACS in organizing the contest, which has the goal of establishing and increasing recycling programs and awareness in schools.  Mrs. Melody will be submitting the school’s final tallies for the contest in mid-December.

In addition to the state and national contest, elementary level classes were paired with different middle school classes into four different teams that competed for an intra-school contest to see which team could collect the most recycled items. The combined team of the two kindergarten classes and the 6th grade classes came in first place, collecting a total of 179 pounds of recycling.  The team of Mrs. Coates’ 8B class , Mr. Tardif’s 4B class, and the 5th grade classes came in a close second place, collecting 171 pounds of recycling.

“We’re really proud of the effort and enthusiasm from all of our students during the contest and we want to keep encouraging recycling throughout the rest of the school year,” said Mrs. Melody. The winning classes were announced during chapel on November 30 and each class received an ACUA “Supercan” stuffed toy to keep in their classrooms until next year’s contest. In December, the kindergarten classes will also receive the prize of a movie and popcorn party and the 6th grade class will enjoy a movie and ice cream party.

The theme of recyling and finding ways to re-purpose recycled items carried over into Mrs. Mirakian’s art classes as well.  An 8th grade art class created 3-D tree sculptures made from recycled materials that were put on display in late October in the hallway outside the Art Room. To begin the recycled art project, the students first went outside to look at trees planted in different locations on the school campus. Mrs. Mirakian had the students create a 2-dimensional drawing of one of the trees they had seen, taking note of the tree’s trunk, branches, leaves, and other structural parts, and the surface area surrounding the tree trunk.  The students were then given the task of building a 3-D sculpture based on their drawing and using a variety of recycled materials, such as puzzles pieces, newspaper, bottle caps, old pennies, bubblewrap, and paper towel rolls.

 

 

Staff Spotlight — New Upper School English and History Teachers

ACS is excited to welcome three more new teachers to our Upper School this year. Catie Lee (left), our new Middle School English teacher, comes to ACS after three years of teaching in Pittsgrove Township and at Ambassador Christian Academy. She has a Bachelor’s in Education with a minor in Special Ed. from Liberty University. She is currently working on a Master’s from Liberty as well. Lee and her husband, Casey, attend Kingsway Church in Glassboro where she serves on the Events Team. “I feel so blessed to be at ACS this year,” Lee says. “It is awesome to be part of a team that truly is ‘all in’ for Jesus.”

Amy Whisman (center) teaches High School History, applying both her Master’s degree in History from Liberty University and her teaching experience in local church and home-school settings. The Whisman family worships at Milmay Christian Church where Amy serves in women’s, children’s, and worship ministries, while her husband David is the lead minister. Joining Mrs. Whisman at ACS is her daughter, Rachel, who is in 10th grade.

Katie Callahan (right), a 2009 ACS alumna, teaches High School English. She has a BS in Psychology from Messiah College and an MFA in Creative Writing from Rutgers-Camden. Before joining the ACS faculty, Callahan was an adjunct English instructor at Camden County College and Atlantic Cape Community College. She attends Fellowship Community Church in Collingswood, NJ and leads a young adult community group there. “I am excited to be working at my alma mater,” Callahan said, “because I had wonderful teachers who encouraged me in Christ yet also pushed me to think for myself, and I get to be that teacher for so many unique, spiritually hungry kids. I also get to expose my students daily to what I believe are some of God’s greatest gifts to us: the abilities to create and communicate through writing, and the appreciation of those abilities in others through reading.”

8th Graders Create 3-D Tree Sculptures From Recycled Materials

Students in Mrs. Mirakian’s 8A art class recently created 3-D tree sculptures made from recycled materials. The sculptures have been on display since late October in the first floor hallway outside the Art Room. To begin the recycled art project, the students first went outside to look at trees planted in different locations on the school campus. Mrs. Mirakian had the students create a 2-dimensional drawing of one of the trees they had seen, taking note of the tree’s trunk, branches, leaves, and other structural parts, and the surface area surrounding the tree trunk.  The students were then given the task of building a 3-D sculpture based on their drawing and using a variety of recycled materials, such as puzzles pieces, newspaper, bottle caps, old pennies, bubblewrap, and paper towel rolls.

Second Graders Learn All About Plants, Share Knowledge Through Poster Project

The students in Miss Williams’ 2nd grade class have been learning all about stems, leaves, roots, and other parts of plants during a recent science unit. The students created colorful and informative posters about the plants that they chose to study. The posters have been on display in the hallway outside their classroom for the past month and feature interesting facts about a variety of plants including sunflowers, tulips, tomatoes, buttercups, and primrose.

 

3rd Graders Set Sail for Learning with Mayflower Writing Project

The students in Mrs. McCarthy’s 3rd grade class recently took a trip back in time to write creative essays on the topic, “You have a ticket on the Mayflower…” The students first stained their paper with tea to make it look old then they started the writing process — brainstorming, first draft (a.k.a. “sloppy copy”), final draft. Writing from the point of view of a Pilgrim, they answered questions such as, “How are you feeling about the journey?” “Why are you leaving?” “What are you worried about?” and “What will you take with you?”

When the project was completed, students agreed, “We all were very thankful to God that we have the luxuries of this day and age and not the hardships that the Pilgrims faced in 1620.”

Students Make Eye-Catching Strawberry Shortcakes in Middle School Cooking Class

Middle school students learned how to assemble and create eye-catching strawberry shortcakes during their November 6 cooking class with chef instructor Dan Carney. The students made whipping cream from scratch and then iced the shortcakes with the whipping cream. They also learned how to cut and slice fresh strawberries in a variety of shapes and used the strawberries and  fresh mint to decorate the cakes.  “This class is a great way for students to get excited about cooking and to learn how to prepare healthy food that can taste good and look good too,” said Mr. Carney, who is in his second year teaching both middle school and high school cooking classes.

ACS Kicks Off the Christmas Season With a Sparkly, Jingly Production of Elf the Musical, Jr.

ACS ushered in the Christmas season with a sparkly, jingly production of “Elf the Musical, Jr.” on November 16 and 17 on the stage in the school gymnasium.  In his first-ever leading role in a musical, 13-year-old 8th grader Hunter Jorgenson gave a heart-warming performance as Buddy the Elf, along with the talented and seasoned young actress 11th grader Ashleigh Martin in the role of his love-interest Jovie.

One of Buddy’s most memorable lines — “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear” — was carried out throughout the musical as the cast of 42 students from the 1st to the 12th grades energetically and enthusiastically sang and danced in eleven musical numbers that even included a Broadway-style kick-line.  In addition to Jorgenson as Buddy, other standouts and newcomers to the stage included 10th grader Joshua “JJ” Jacoby, playing the role of Buddy’s real father and children’s book publisher, Walter Hobbs, and 5th grader Caden Kim, as Buddy’s younger brother, Michael Hobbs. Memorable and humorous cameo appearances were given by senior Imohimi Unuigbe as Santa, and senior Mikai Browne as fake Santa. 9th grader Destiny Brewer gave a solid performance as Mrs. Hobbs, along with two young actors from Sojourn Productions, Sean Walls as book publisher Mr. Greenway, and Michael Mercadante as the Macy’s store manager.

“This musical was a real crowd pleaser and we were thrilled to see over 700 people come out to see the production and give our students a well-deserved standing ovation at both performances,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. Show Director and Producer Amy Culleny said she was so proud of the young and largely novice cast and how hard they worked to achieve a polished production in just 10 short weeks once rehearsals got underway in mid-September.

“Most of the cast had never been in a show before, but they worked hard in every rehearsal and it paid off with a great show,” Culleny said. “They had a lot of fun and now both the students in the cast and many who watched in the audience are asking about being part of a future production.” Culleny, who is director of the Sojourn Productions Theater Arts Academy in Galloway, said it has been seven years since the last ACS drama or musical production, which she directed, and with the success of this fall’s show she hopes to direct another show next fall.  Culleny also thanked ACS parents, friends, and businesses in the community who supported the effort by purchasing tickets and playbill and electronic ads, making it possible to meet and exceed all the production costs.

Culleny said the success of the “Elf the Musical, Jr.” production was a team effort, thanking a talented crew for their contributions and for ACS parents Kelly Flynn and Carrie Jorgenson for supporting the cast and production behind the scenes. Emily Perkins of Sojourn Productions served as choreographer. ACS staff member Lee Martin was the Music Director and Technical Director who used digital imagery on a large background screen to enhance the setting of each scene, from Buddy’s walk through the Lincoln Tunnel and the glittering lights of Times Square to creating snowfall in Central Park and images of Santa flying through the sky on his sleigh.  Thanks to creative set design and props overseen by Havilah Shorten, the story-line moved along seamlessly, with memorable scenes set in Santa’s workshop and Macy’s department store. Faculty member Shirlene Perini contributed her talents as a seamstress to create colorful costumes hand-made to size for each of the 20 elves, bringing the scenes in Santa’s workshop to life. The elves also brought the show to an exciting close as they came down into the audience, smiling and laughing as they handed out candy-canes.

After the curtain call and final bows by the cast and crew, the “Elf the Musical, Jr.” production concluded with a brief sermonette by Musical and Technical Director Lee Martin that focused on the true meaning of Christmas. He drew parallels between the fantastical story of Buddy the Elf, who left Santa and the North Pole to find his real father, Walter Hobbs, and the need that every person has to get to know their father in heaven. “Christmas is all about a God who loves his children unconditionally and who gave the gift of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ,” Martin said. “This is the true spirit of Christmas that we hope you will carry with you throughout this season.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ELF, JR. PHOTOS

 

Elf the Musical, Jr. Next Friday and Saturday

We’re just one week away from opening night of Elf the Musical, Jr. right here at ACS! Students and directors have been hard at work, and the show promises to be a real treat, kicking off the holiday season with great music and a lot of laughs. Get your tickets now in the school office or online by clicking HERE.

Please note that seating for both shows is general seating. Doors will open 3o minutes before showtime and reserving seats will not be allowed.

ACSI Accreditation Team Concluded Visit at ACS This Week

A six-member team of educators representing the Association of Christian Schools International spent three days at ACS this past week assessing various aspects of the school’s operations. ACS is seeking to be re-accredited by ACSI and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the site visit was the final phase of a year-long re-accreditation process that included preparing a 97-page self-study report for the team to review.

During their visit, the team members met with Board members, faculty, staff, parents, and students and conducted classroom observations. The members of the accreditation team and ACS administration pictured here are, first row, from left: Roxane Southcott-Roberts (Calvary Academy, NJ); Sandy Moritz (Liberty Christian, MD); Lori Cole (Lancaster County Christian, PA); Anita Whisler (Conestoga Christian, PA); second row, from left: Sam Osbourn (Red Lion Christian Academy, DE); Paula Frey (Cornerstone Christian Academy, PA); Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen; and Upper School Principal Meg McHale.

Team chair Paula Frey said ACS will receive the decision from ACSI regarding re-accreditation after the meeting of the ACSI Northeast Regional Accreditation Commission in early December.  Middle States will make its decision regarding re-accreditation in spring 2019. ACS received its first dual 7-year accreditation in 2012.

 

 

 

PTF, Local Business Donate to Purchase New Laminator

ACS has a new commercial-quality GBC Laminator thanks to a donation from the Parent-Teacher Fellowship and C. Costello Roof and Solar.  PTF President Terry Vogel said the funds raised through weekly pretzel sales, sweatshirts, the Shoprite gift cards, and other fundraisers helped make their donation possible. “The PTF is focused on blessing our faculty and staff and we know that they will be using this new laminator for many years,” Vogel said. Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen said she is grateful to the PTF and to a business owned by an ACS family for combining their gifts to make the purchase of the new laminator possible. The nearly $2,000 in gifting also underwrote film rolls for the laminator and one year of maintenance. The PTF officers pictured with the new laminator, from left, are: Polly Ellison, Terry Vogel, Amanda Costello, and Lori Pearson.

 

 

 

 

Join the ACS Team – Job Opportunities Available

ACS has immediate openings for part-time aides in our award-winning Early Education Center, working with children from 6 months to 4 years old. Must hold current CPR and First Aid certification. Also hiring Extended Care aides to work with K-6th grade students in our after school care program. CLICK HERE for more information and to apply.

 

High School Students Explore Educational Opportunities at National College Fair

ACS organized a trip for students from the 10-12th grades to attend the 2018 National College Fair at the Atlantic City Convention Center on November 1, where nearly 200 colleges were represented. “We want to help our students make informed choices about pursuing post-secondary education and attending this college fair was one way to gather a lot information under one roof,” said Upper School Principal Meg McHale, who along with Admissions Director Heidi Sray, accompanied the students on the trip. The students talked with representatives from various colleges and attended informational workshops, including one tailored to students interested in playing sports in college and another on ways to finance a college education. To prepare for their visit, McHale said the students were asked to list 10 colleges they were interested in getting information from at the fair.

Varsity Girls’ Soccer Team Wins TSCAC Championship

Congratulations to the Lady Cougars for beating Calvary Academy 3-2 to win the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Championship Game on Wednesday, November 7, bringing home the championship trophy for the fourth time in the past five years. Special cudos to the three players who put the ball in the goal — senior Rebekah Darragh, who scored in the first five minutes of the game, senior Lola Oguntuase, who also had two assists, and sophomore Chloe Vogel. Sophomore Shelby Einwechter played strong in goal with 8 saves. The Lady Cougars had finished the regular season 11-1 and were tied for first with Calvary Academy. Lola, who led the team in goals all season, was named conference MVP, and four other Lady Cougars were named to the TSCAC All-Star Team — senior Lindsey Ash (2nd team), Darragh (1st team), Einwechter (1st team ), and Vogel (2nd team).

An enthusiastic group of some 60 fans made the trip to Lakewood to cheer ACS on to victory. Thank you to head coach Carly Witherow, an ACS alumnus (’08) in her fifth year as head coach, and her Lady Cougars for an exciting and memorable season! CLICK HERE to see additional photos from the TSCAC Varsity Girls’ Championship Game.

The Boys’ Varsity Team, under head coach Ricardo Leon, finished 4th in the regular season and advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. The Boys’ Team was scheduled to play in the tournament consolation game, but the game was cancelled due to wet weather conditions.  Congratulations to the five ACS players who were named to the TSCAC All-Star Team — senior Elijah Chapman (honorable mention),  senior Luke Johnson (senior), junior Ben Noble (2nd team), senior Jacob O’Brien (2nd team), and senior Mark Rosie (honorable mention).

 

 

Veterans Appreciation Chapel – Honoring All Who Have Served

 

ACS students gathered for an all-school chapel on Wednesday, November 7 to show their love and respect for our veterans who have served, sacrificed, and given their lives to protect our country’s freedoms. Forty-four veterans from every branch of the service, including parents, grandparents, and great grandparents of ACS students, attended the Veterans’ Appreciation Chapel.  A combined Middle School and High School Choir opened the program with “God Bless America” and Upper School Vice Principal Drew Carney followed with prayer, asking for God’s blessings on our veterans and for protection for those currently serving in the armed forces around the world.

Members of the ACS Boy Scout Troop 389 presented the colors and led the salute to the American flag. The varied program continued with patriotic musical presentations by the 2nd and 3rd grade classes and 5th-12th grade students in the band.  ACS students cheered and applauded as the veterans stood when the Marine Corps hymn “From the Halls of Montezuma” and the hymns for each of the other branches of service were played.  The kindergarten students made a special gift presentation to each veteran of a hand-made thank-you card decorated with an eagle in flight and the 5th grade worship team got everyone on their feet, moving and clapping along for their performance of “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High.”

The chapel speakers were ACS parents Timothy and Unique Johnson, who served in the Marine Corps and Air Force respectively, and are now both assistant pastors at Christ Fellowship Church in Seaville.  Both veterans emphasized how they trusted God as their source of strength during their military service.  Mr. Johnson said there were three words that he learned to value during his military training and have carried over into his civilian life — honor, courage, and commitment. “It takes courage to be different because we all want to fit in,” Johnson said. “But God will put us in situations to give us the opportunity to stand for what’s right, even when everyone else is doing the wrong thing. That takes courage.”

After the chapel program, the kindergarten students made a second presentation to the veterans of a handmade paper flag, which was gifted to a group from one of veterans’ posts.

 

CLICK HERE FOR THE PHOTO GALLERY

 

 

Race for Education and Harvest Day 2018 – Having Fun While Raising Funds for ACS

More than 300 students in preschool through 8th grade took to the track on Friday, October 26 for our 15th annual Race for Education. Dressed in colorful Bible character class shirts, PreK3 and PreK4 and elementary students happily braved the chill in the air to run their laps. Later in the day, middle school students were doused with color powder as they enjoyed their “color run.” Throughout the day, younger students also enjoyed a Harvest Festival including wagon rides, pumpkin picking, stories, songs, crafts, snacks, gaga ball and more.

A large contingent of volunteers helped make the day a success — setting up, serving snacks, counting laps, and cheering on the runners. The PTF was out in full force, providing the students a Hot Diggity Dog lunch and encouragement throughout the day. New this year were Classroom Sponsor signs lining the inside of the track. Thank you to our Classroom Sponsors as well as everyone who donated toward this year’s goal of $27,000 for the school’s educational programs! Donations are still being accepted and can be made in the school office or online through the ACS website. CLICK HERE to donate now!

We’re very proud of every student and all our teachers who participated in this year’s race!  Sixty-nine students completed at least 16 laps (4+ miles!) during their one-hour time slot. The girl and boy in each class who completed the most laps will receive special recognition during a December chapel as will the student in each class with the most sponsors and the top student fund-raiser overall.

Click Here for More Photos

 

Varsity Girls’ Soccer Team to Play in TSCAC Championship Game Saturday, Boys’ Team to Play in Consolation Game

Congratulations to a dedicated and talented group of high school and middle school athletes for a memorable winning soccer season. Our Varsity Girls’ Soccer team, pictured above left, finished the regular season tied for first with a 11-1 record. The Lady Cougars will play this Saturday in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference championship game at 5 pm after their 1-0 win at home on Thursday in the semi-final playoff against Gloucester County Christian School.

The Varsity Boys beat Cumberland Christian 2-1 in the quarter-final playoff game on Tuesday, but lost their semi-final playoff game on Thursday at Pilgrim Academy. The Varsity Boys will play in the TSCAC consolation game on Saturday at 3 pm. The TSCAC tournament games will be played at Glassboro Receation Fields, 152 S. Delsea Drive in Glassboro. The gate fees at the tournament games, which benefit the league and go towards league awards, are: $2 for students, $3 for adults, and $10 max for families.

Top scorers on the Varsity Girls’ team this season have been senior Lola Oguntuase with 32 goals, senior Rebekah Darragh (12), sophomore Chloe Vogel (11), including the winning goal with a header in Thursday’s playoff game, and senior Lindsey Ash (8). Sophomore goalie Shelby Einwechter had six shut-out games in goal. The Varsity Boys’ team was led this season on offense by junior Ben Noble with 17 goals and senior Jacob O’Brien (12). Senior goalies Elijah Chapman, who sustained a mid-season injury, and Mark Rosie were key defenders, with Rosie posting 150 saves in goal.

Our outstanding Middle School Boys’ soccer team, pictured below left, was undefeated in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League, with a 12-0-0 record and 10 shutouts, scoring 49 times on its opponents and only giving up 3 goals. Truly a season for the ACS record books. The Middle School Girls also finished strong in 3rd place and for the first time in school history defeated Linwood in their last season game.

Thank you to our enthusiastic fans and dedicated coaches for a great season — Coach Witherow (Varsity Girls), Coach Leon (Varsity Boys), Coach Hopwood (MS Girls), and Coach Ellison (MS Boys).

 

 

 

ACS Holds Ribbon-Cutting for New Greenhouse

Let the growing begin! ACS held a ribbon-cutting for a new greenhouse on Tuesday, October 30. Funding for the greenhouse came from a $1,500 grant from the AtlantiCare Healthy Schools program, of which ACS is a member school. The ACS Boy Scout Troop 389, under the direction of Scoutmaster Michael Jorgenson, recently completed building the greenhouse, a project that got underway in mid-June. “We’re very grateful to AtlantiCare and to Scoutmaster Mike Jorgenson, the scouts, and their parents for helping bring this greenhouse project to completion,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “We’re looking forward to the many science projects that our teachers and students will be undertaking in this new greenhouse that will be an exciting hands-on learning center.”

The individuals who participated in the ribbon-cutting, pictured above from left, were: high school science teacher Dave Genter, Director of Development and Communication Carole Karabashian, faculty members Eric Tardif and Bethany Kiefer, who will be advisors to a garden club this spring, Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen, AtlantiCare Lead School Health Specialist Amy Hogan, kindergarten aide and garden club advisor Priscilla Garner, Middle School science teacher Celine Melody, and ACS students and members of Boy Scout Troop and Pack 389 Brandon Jorgenson, Hunter Jorgenson, Matt Dietrich, Joshua Guevara, and Jayden Sanchez.

The large, spacious greenhouse, which measures 20′ x 20′ x 11′ high, is a farmer hoop-house design with plastic covering that can be rolled up and down to provide ventilation.  The greenhouse is located adjacent to the school garden, which was funded by an earlier AtlantiCare grant, and will be used in concert with the garden. In addition to the grant from AtlantiCare, ACS is grateful for additional support from Lowe’s ($200 gift card) and Waldor Orchids and its owner David Off for donating the galvanized steel frame. In addition to the scouts who participated in the ribbon-cutting, ACS would also like to thank several other scouts and adult Scout leaders for their volunteer service, including Jacob and Kyler Campsmith, Matt Dietrich, Randy Guevara, Dr. Jim Wurzer, and James, John, and Mark Wurzer.

ACS to Honor Veterans — Wednesday, November 7

ACS will show its appreciation to our veterans at an all-school chapel on Wednesday, November 7 at 2:00 p.m. in the gymnasium. Flyers have been sent home with students. Please invite family members and friends who have served or currently serve in the military to attend. There will be reserved seating for our honored guests.

What’s New at ACS — Elementary Restrooms Renovated

ACS recently completed a major renovation of the school’s elementary bathrooms that are located on the first floor near the rear bus entrance of the school. The $11,000 renovation, which got underway in July, included replacing all the plumbing in the boys’ and girls’ bathrooms and installing new sinks, urinals, and tile flooring. Framed inspirational messages and Bible verses now hang on the walls that were painted a quiet, blue-grey. The renovation effort was carried out by Facilities Director Bill Smallwood, with assistance from Gassis Brothers Plumbing and Heating and Westy’s Flooring.  “We thank God for supplying the funds required to complete these necessary and beneficial improvements to these bathrooms,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “We also are blessed to have a variety of contractors who are willing to gift or discount their rates to help our school.”

ACS Goes Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

From pink socks and hair bands to pink shirts and shoelaces, ACS students, faculty, and staff enthusiastically participated in Breast Cancer Awareness Day on Monday, October 29. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the ACS event helped raise awareness of the disease. Breast cancer is the second most common kind of cancer in women and current trends indicate that about 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point. The fundraiser brought in $370 that will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. That’s nearly a 25% increase over last year’s total! Great job, everyone!

Staff Spotlight – Meet Our New Elementary Teachers

Three new teachers are bringing great experience and enthusiasm to the ACS elementary school. Pictured left to right are Bethany Kiefer (5th), Eric Tardif (4th), and Grant Miller (5th).

Mrs. Kiefer comes to ACS with a BS in Elementary Education from the University of Valley Forge and teaching experience in the Swedesboro/Woolwich School District and Gloucester Township Public Schools.  Kiefer, her husband Jason, and their daughters, Isabelle (1st) and Hannah (PK4), attend Calvary Chapel Gateway where she serves on the worship team. “Pouring my heart and soul into teaching where the students are encouraged to pursue a relationship with Christ is one of the most rewarding teaching experience I’ve ever had,”  Kiefer said.

Mr. Tardif has a BA in sociology from William Paterson University and a Masters in Educational Administration from Grand Canyon University. He has been a fourth grade teacher and reading tutor for the last twelve years in Pleasantville and Vineland. Tardif and his wife, Krystal, attend Greentree Church with their children, Kalee (4th) and Dylan (1st). “Teaching at ACS is a true gift,” he said. “Walking in the doors each day and being greeted by my students is a blessing. Serving the Lord alongside my students is a unique experience.”

Mr. Miller is an ACS alumnus (’07) with a BS in Physical Education and Health from Montclair State University. He previously taught 4th-6th grades at Gospel of Grace Christian School and 5th grade at Crossroads Christian Academy in Panama City, Panama. He has also coached basketball here at ACS and in Panama. Miller and his wife, Minelva (who is from Panama), attend Praise Tabernacle where they coach Upward flag football. His motivation for educational ministry shines through when he said, “The Lord has given us the opportunity to shine for Him in this beautiful world. It’s now time to answer the call!”

PTF SpiritWear Sweatshirts On Sale Again

SpiritWear sweatshirts are again for sale by the ACS PTF. Adult hoodies ($30) and crewnecks ($26) are available in green and gray. Children’s crewnecks ($22) are available for Early Education students only in green and gray with the “Cougar Cubs” paw logo. Orders must be placed by Monday, November 19. The shirts will arrive the first week of December — just in time for Christmas!

CLICK HERE FOR ORDER FORM