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TRANSCRIPT
MSA Weekly News
April 18, 2014 Volume 7, Number 31
“If a student can’t learn the way we teach … we should teach the way a student can learn.
-Tweetie L. Moore, Founder
In This Issue Soon the Fun Begins
Many Thanks!
Early Dismissal TODAY!
Top Graduates Announced!
Guys and Dolls Tickets
Science Week
Immigration Challenges
Now for Next Year!
Going to State
National Poetry Month
Counseling Conference
Career Exploration Series
Poetry in the Library
Afghan Children Learn English
Mmmmm … Doughnuts
A Little Bit of Japan
Get Your Yearbook!
Sports on Tap
The Bulletin Board
Cares and Concerns
Character Quote
Web Links of Interest
Soon the Fun Begins Summer, Summer, Summer … I love the summer time. Even though we don’t have regular school classes, summer time at MSA is really busy. The administration staff are year round employees so we don’t take the summer off like the faculty, we are here every week. Immediately after school lets out for the summer, there will be a leadership meeting where we talk about the things that happened over the course of the year and how we can make them better, if they need to be better. We discuss the successes and the challenges of each department and school. Then we set to work on changing things that need to be changed. Outside of that activity, the summer includes (among other things) the continuation of interviewing prospective families; sport camps, summer camps and summer school all happen; and teacher workshops are offered – not just to our teachers, but to any teacher. We spend the summer wrapping up the current school year. Then we begin preparing for the upcoming school year! We only have 25 school days left until summer and all that fun begins!
Until then, have a wonderful weekend Happy Passover and Happy Easter.
Many Thanks to Our Terrific Parents
Thank you to … Stacy Robinson, Frances Connor, and Rolando Thorne!
A big, giant, heartfelt thank you for sharing your time, experience, and excellent public speaking skills with us and prospective parents/students during our monthly MSA Open Houses. We greatly appreciate your willingness and ability to help prospective parents learn about MSA from your personal experience and for offering to talk with prospective parents who have questions. Thank you so much for helping MSA, too, by doing this.
Sue Swanson – Asst. Principal, Upper School
Early Dismissal TODAY!
MSA Sports Calendar
The most current information when it comes to MSA Sports Schedules
MSA Home Page Find everything you need to find about MSA is here
The Bee Stang Blog Check out what’s happening at the hive
MSA PVA Web Site Learn what is going on with your PVA
MSA Weekly News Archives Catch up on past news
MSA Current Calendar School Calendar on the MSA website
Legend L = Lower School
M = Middle School
PU = PreUpper School
CA = Communication Arts School
U = Upper School
Social Media
Friend, Follow, Pin with Mill Springs!
Donate Today
Contact Us http://www.millsprings.org
Friday, April 18 - Early Dismissal
12:15p L/M Carpool 12:30p PU/CA/U Carpool
12:45p – Buses Depart (normally departure is 3:30p)
Top Graduates Announced!
Joshua & John
Mill Springs Academy’s Upper School is proud to announce the Valedictorian and Salutatorian
for the Class of 2014!
Valedictorian – Joshua Moore Salutatorian – John Chisholm
Congratulations to you both!
Click to Purchase Tickets
Spring Musical & Art Exhibit
The Fine Arts Department Presents
Guys and Dolls Jr.
Fri, April 25 & Sat, April 26 6:30 - Art Show
7:00 – Performance
Get your tickets early to get the best seats. Just click on the poster
to go to the Ticket Box Office.
Mill Springs Academy
13660 New Providence Road Alpharetta, GA 30004
770-360-1336
Science Week
April 20 – 26 is Experience Science Week
Take a look at all the fabulous events that are planned for next week! We will try to post pictures several times each day on Facebook, so if you want to
keep up with all of the activity, just LIKE us on Facebook to see them.
Monday
PU – 7th grade going to Georgia Perimeter Botanical Gardens ACE Students – Tour Ham radio operator Mac McCormick’s radio
collection
Tuesday All MSA will participate in an interactive science experience called
Earth Orbit
Thursday
U/PU/CA – Professors from Southern Poly will discuss the wonderful areas of study and possible careers related to engineering
Friday
L – Experience Science Fab Friday with a recycling theme M – Experiments, Challenges, and Creations, Oh My! PU – 8th grade go to Math/Science Day at Six Flags to reinforce
the fundamentals of physics that revolve around the rides U – Science Fair in the Gym (morning). Representatives from
Gwinnett Tech, GA Tech, Learning RX, Marine Reef, Inc., Oglethorpe University (biology), Emory University (environ science), Solvay Specialty Polymers, GA State University, Music with Lasers.
U – GA Tech speaker about the application of robotics in prosthetics (afternoon).
The Challenges of Immigration
Gretchen’s 5th Grade U.S. History class has been using primary and secondary source documents to research the mental, physical, and legal challenges of early European-American immigration. Using this information, they were asked to create a journal documenting a fictional family’s journey to America. Here are is a journal entry from “Gerald”, a German immigrant, written by Jarren Snow: July 28, 1885 Dear Dad, I am having the worst time of my life. I hear so many different languages and I can’t understand them. Also the food tastes really awful. All the wealthy people get good food. Sometimes I want to eat from the dumpster. All the time I see lame people get sent back. I wish you could come instead of having to stay in Germany and work so you can get money for the family. I know that I will be starting a new life in the Promised Land but I wish I could have that life with you. Ever since I got on the ship I would imagine me on your back and we were both looking at the Statue of Liberty and you said we would have a new life and will never have to worry about our old life again. You are the best dad a boy could have. From, Gerald
Now for Next Year!
For a comparable price to retail stores, you can order your school supplies for NEXT year though the Mill Springs PVA and make money for our school. The Parent Association is working towards buying a mini bus for the school and the profit earned through this fundraiser will go towards that effort. Even better, the school supplies will be sitting on your student's desk the first day of school. That's convenience! Please go to this website before June 3rd to order:
http://www.educationalproducts.com/ShopPacks Make sure to enter the Mill Springs code of: MIL146
Any questions, contact JoEllen Smith.
Track & Field Goes to State!
The Mustangs did a fantastic job yesterday at the GISA Region 1AAA Track and Field Championship against 8 teams. The boys battled some very fast competition and placed 4th with more kids than ever qualifying for State. Alex Gonzales set a new school record in the 400 meter run (58.29). The 1600m relay team of Devin Hazzard, James York, Wesley Site, and Alex Gonzales set a new school record and qualified for State (4:01.92). The ladies were missing half their team due to illness but pulled together and placed 6th overall. Chase Watson set a new school record and qualified for State in the 100m hurdles (18.14). In all we will have nine runners qualified for state in 10 different events. [Pictured: Grace Shelton (left) passing the baton to Darby McHugh (right) in the 4x100m relay.]
Congratulations Mustangs!!
National Poetry Month
Last week Shannon’s Lower School class began a poetry unit in honor of National Poetry Month. For their journals this week, the students are writing a different type of poem each day. Here are the haiku poems they wrote Monday: Caroline Skinner Animals are sweet. Animals live in nature. I love animals. Ashley Dugger Today it will rain. The rain goes down on the ground.
Drip drop on the ground Lilliana Coco Flowers are lovely. Flowers are made in nature. My garden is nice. Alex Yager Nature is splendid. Nature has lots of flowers. A lot of cuteness Joshua Veal My dog will be Bleu. I will throw the ball to Bleu. Bleu will make me glad. Aaron Breitkopf Passover started. The prophet comes to houses. Drink a cup of wine.
Counseling Conference
Last week, Susan Day, Director of Counseling at MSA attended the annual Southern Association for College Admissions Counseling (SACAD) conference. Some of the sessions she was able to attend included information about students who are not developmentally ready for college, programs for Juniors, gap year programs, building relationships with regional college representatives and how to help students get the most out of meeting with college admissions representatives. It was a very informative conference and she came back with lots of ideas!
Love the Outdoors? Be a Park Ranger!
The students of Communication Arts were treated to a lecture by Marjorie Thomason, a Park Ranger who is Educational Coordinator for the Chattahoochee Nature Center.
Thomason described the varied job opportunities available as a National Park Ranger, including accounting, law enforcement, resource management, maintenance, education, and administration. She then detailed the tasks Park Rangers perform in each division, such as digging for artifacts, monitoring water quality, watching out for fires, keeping track of endangered species, keeping trails clear, and keeping the peace.
She also told the students about the Youth Conservation Corps, a program paying minimum wage that prepares America’s youth for maintaining and managing park resources. This idea excited student Corinne Davenport, who stated, “I can’t wait to sign up for this. It’s my dream job and I can start it now.”
Poetry Month in the Library
During their weekly library time, Connie’s Middle School Language Arts classes read The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, winner of the 2013 Newberry Medal. The students then crafted poems that represent a certain character from the book in honor of National Poetry Month. From goofy to sad, we hit many of the emotions we felt as we were reading this wonderful story. Enjoy! Stella (an elephant) - Tyler Goodwyn I have big ears, I am filled with tears. I have a bad foot, It’s filled with soot. I don’t have much time, So I guess this is goodbye. Ivan (a silverback gorilla) - Jacob Baum I am Ivan.
I was captured when I was small, Over the decades I grew tall. I was taken to a zoo, I was happy but I missed Ruby, too. Then I met the other apes We played in the trees and ate some grapes. Ivan’s Love for Banana Peels - Clara Cullerton Banana peels, banana peels, Are great for real. I never ever like to share My banana peels. They’re my one and only favorite meal. I love the yellow color of the peel, It’s a good thing they’re not teal.
Teaching Afghan Children English
Lower School has been working with Bre Carlson, Matthew Carlson's mom, on
gathering things to send to Afghanistan where Matthew's dad is currently stationed. Bre said, "They are at Camp Phoenix (pictured above) in center of Kabul. Weekly there is a bazaar where locals come to sell jewelry, scarves, etc. Interestingly the ones bargaining are the children (inset picture), as they learn to speak English. The soldiers have grown close to these children and they are LOVING learning English. The children recently received a soccer ball so the soldiers made them a goal and it has been a huge hit. It is quite the site to see the pics of the children there interacting with the soldiers. Also brings comfort to the soldiers who are missing their own children to be able to help these children." Many Lower School parents sent children's books, balls, and notebooks. Administration sent notepads and pencils. PE provided Mustang Tennis and KK's Club t-shirts of all sizes. We had an entire table full of wonderful things for the children that Bre will ship out. Lower School as a bulletin board of letters written to the soldiers by the students, these will be mailed out later. Thank you to everyone who participated!
Mmmmm … Doughnuts
Krispy Kreme Breakfast Friday, April 25
1 doughnut - $0.75 2 doughnuts - $1.50
Dozen - $8.00
Thank you for supporting the MSA Booster Club!
Prom – A Little Bit of Japan
On Saturday, April 12, MSA’s high school students experienced a little bit of Japan with their Prom. The students chose the venue. Holding it in the Great Room of the Upper School allowed them to be able to decorate. They adorned the room with pagodas and arches that they built. Centerpieces for the tables and the art around the room was created by Janet Ford’s art classes. One of the highlights of the night was the band MIDNIGHT, whose members are MSA’s own
students: Tim Herbert, Dylan Porper, Evan Smith, Daniel O’Keefe, and Trevor Tencza. Upper School Queen was Emma Holden and King was Alex Hurtsellers; Communication Arts Queen was Lindsey Flax and King was John Chisholm. Everyone looked beautiful and handsome. It was a blast!
Yearbook, Get Your Yearbook!
ORDER YOUR 2014 YEARBOOK! They are going fast, but there are a few left!
Order online for $70.00 http://www.JostensYearbooks.com
Find ‘Mill Springs Academy’ Then choose ‘Yearbooks’
Sports on Tap
Schedule (find a complete schedule HERE) BASEBALL
Monday, April 21st AAC Baseball Championships Game 1 @ 2:00 / Game 2 @ 4:00 Wednesday, April 23rd AAC Baseball Championships Losers play @ 2:00 for 3rd Place / Winners play @ 4:00 for 1st & 2nd Place TENNIS Wednesday, April 23rd 1-AAA GISA Region @ 8:00am @ Peachtree City Tennis
Center (Team will spend the night in Peachtree City Tuesday night and play match that next morning.)
Friday, April 25th AAC Tennis Championships @ 8:00am @ Cherokee Tennis Center
The Bulletin Board
If the school had a bulletin board, here is what you would find on it (besides your picture, of course):
Fri, Apr 18 – Early Dismissal
12:15pm L/M Carpool
12:30pm PU/CA/U Carpool
12:45pm Bus Departs (normally leaves at 3:30pm)
April 20 – 26 Experience Science Week
Sun, Apr 20 – Easter
Mon, Apr 21 – Board Meeting
Tue, Apr 22 – Booster Biscuit Breakfast
Tue, Apr 22 – Passover ends at sundown
Fri, Apr 25 – Krispy Kreme Breakfast
Fri, Apr 25 – Booster Pizza Day
Fri, Apr 25 – 6:30pm – Spring Musical & Art Exhibit – GET TIX HERE
Sat, Apr 26 – 6:30pm – Spring Musical & Art Exhibit
Tue, Apr 29 – Booster Biscuit Breakfast
Cares and Concerns of our Community
Please keep the following from our Community in your thoughts and prayers.
Unemployed Families
Please email me at any time with individuals you would like to include on our list as their needs arise. For privacy, I will only list names and claim ignorance if you ask me for details.
Character Quote of the Week
“We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.”
To: All Mill Springs Parents, Board of Trustees, Newsletter Friends, Newsletter Family, Newsletter Professionals,
Newsletter Foundations and All Staff/Faculty
Please consider the environment before printing. If at any time you wish to not receive further MSA Weekly News editions please just ‘reply’ with that information in the email to [email protected]
Mill Springs Academy does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, handicap, national or ethnic origin in its admissions policy or in its employments. Cheri Harwood Communications Director Mill Springs Academy 13660 New Providence Road Alpharetta, GA 30004 Tel: 770-360-1336 Fax: 770-360-1341
Email: [email protected] Web: www.millsprings.org
Success in School … Success in Life
- John F. Kennedy