Welcome

October 20, 2011

Dear Parents/Guardians:

It's hard to believe that we have made it through the first quarter of the school year! I can truly say that "we have come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord....and He has never failed us yet!" Allow me to take this time to express my (our) sincere and profound appreciation for the privilege of writing on the pages on the lives of your children and for the opportunity of making excellence a tangible reality for each of them.

In just a few days hence our campus will reverberate with the sound of your marching feet converging on our sacred grounds. We are praying for your safe arrival and a wonderful experience as you visit your children and their teachers. We pray that we will have a 100% participation of parents, and that our time together will be favored with the benediction of heaven.

Before your arrival, allow me to take the time to share a few items of interest with you:

• Student Morale: During our first Presidential Cabinet (Presidents & Vice Presidents of all classifications and student organizations) meeting, it was reported by these leaders that "this year seems more organized, students are used to the rules, less rebellion, new students like it here, and we have better leaders, etc." The response to the attendance policy has seen a tremendous improvement over last year- both tardies and absences to classes have been significantly reduced. The demerit list has followed a similar pattern. The D/F list has also seen a steady decline; but of course, submission of the first quarter grades will give us a more precise picture of this trend. Respect for the school uniform, respect for and participation in spiritual programs and services have all seen similar marked improvements. The Kris Fielder Olympic Day was also a tremendous success giving the student body a great booster shot. On a final note, our athletic season is on the way with the soccer team playing first in the rotation. They play a game today which, if they win, will qualify them for the semifinals; of course if they win that game, they will go on to the finals- send up the prayers please. The next sport on the rotation is basketball. The ladies basketball team will take part in a competition this Sunday- pray for their success!

• The junior and senior classes have successfully completed their college days' tours to Washington Adventist University and Oakwood University respectively. On both occasions students were able to get an intimate exposure to a college experience that can facilitate their choice of college and field of study.

FORTITUDINE VINCIMUS- BY ENDURANCE, WE CONQUER!

• A College Fair showcasing several SDA Colleges/Universities will take place on our campus on November 8, 2011 from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Please be reminded that for the past three years the academy has taken part in a nationwide College Fair in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From this point forward we will take part every two or three years.

• The PSAT/SAT intensive preparatory program reached its climax with our juniors and seniors taking the SAT exam on October 2, 2011 and our sophomores and juniors taking the PSAT on October 12, 2011. We prayerfully await the results! Please take the time to acknowledge the Standardized Tests Preparatory Team (Mr. Niles, Ms. McKnight & Ms. Whiting) for their time, effort, and hard work in this project.

• A similar intensive preparation will be done for the December 11, 2011 ACT exam which will involve the Science, English and Mathematics departments. We are encouraging parents to have their children sit any of the other scheduled SAT exams- particularly juniors and seniors- so as to provide them more exposure! The first quarter ends on October 14, 2011 and grades are due in Mr. Jones' office on October 20, 2011. We pray that each child has done his or her maximum best and you will have an opportunity to discuss these grades upon your arrival.

• The administration has formed an Academic Support Team (Mr. Campbell, Ms. Whiting, and Mr. Jones) that has been meeting with students, throughout the quarter, with various academic concerns and placing intervention structures in place to assist them to maximize their potential!

• Parents Weekend (Parent/Teachers Conferences, Choir/Creative Arts Performances, Senior Presentation, etc.) will take place during the weekend of October 28 – 30, 2011.

• The academy will be providing transportation for the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks! Ms. Green will be sending out the details shortly. We are encouraging parents to avail themselves to this option so as not to have the teachers and staff making several trips to and from various destinations- this is the official mode of transportation being offered by the academy. We are also beseeching ALL parents/guardians be ON TIME to pick up your children.

• We are also asking parents to respect the dates of these breaks and not to have you child leave before or return after the specified dates. Any such absences will be counted as unexcused as per the handbook- thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

SINE LABORE NIHIL ~ WITHOUT WORK, NOTHING!

• The yearbook staff is feverishly working on the yearbooks for last year and this year! The target date of completion for last year's book is December 2011. It is the committee's determination to have this year's book completed on time!

• As you may have heard by now, both dormitories have been equipped with enhanced security systems as of mid-September of this year! By the time you would have arrived for this Parent Weekend, both dormitories should be equipped with wireless internet services. Praise the Lord!!! Please join us in encouraging your children to use this resource RESPONSIBLY!! Offenders will be subject to the consequences as per the handbook!

• The choir and Creative Arts will be performing at various locations please check our website for posting. The choir has entered a competition and needs your vote- again check our website for details!

• Our region has been drenched regularly and consistently with downpour of rain and several students do not have proper raingear, umbrellas or boots (black). Please secure these items for your children. Please also be aware that the cold weather is upon us and we encourage students to dress warmly. Students must, however, remove all outer garments and only be attired in the complete school uniform upon entering each classroom. Please be reminded that only black boots are allowed during cold or inclement weather (see handbook).

Thank you again for your attention to these matters and for your continued cooperation and support of the academy. We are here to serve you by providing a quality, Christ-centered education for your children. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me via phone or email!

Gratefully yours,

Delmas F. Campbell

Principal