From the Principal's Desk

October 19, 2020

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Dr. Jackson, Principal

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Fall Combined Choir Concert

October 23 – 25 | Online at ArtsAcademics.org/LIVE

The Fall Combined Choir Concert – Let Me Be the Music will focus on the transformative and healing power of music and how we are all still striving to sing and make music, while apart.

This concert features a combination of solo & small ensemble numbers from TBC and SGT, a video montage showcasing FWAFA students’ work from home and in person, and a combined virtual choir to close the program that features all TBC, SGT, and CCT members performing “The Music of Living” by Dan Forrest.

This Show is FREE & Appropriate for All Ages.

TCA+A & FWAFA COVID-19 Standard Response Protocol

The TCA+A COVID-19 Standard Response Protocol provides information to our community about the positivity rate within the campus. Right now, we are in Stage 1 - PREVENTION - No confirmed cases of COVID-19 among staff or students.

In Stage 1, PREVENTION, the following procedures are in place:

Health prevention measures are in place
Daily intensive cleaning and frequent cleaning of facilities
No visitor access
Monitoring of virus trends in the community via local health officials

This document outlining all of the stages and the procedures that accompany each stage will be emailed to you later this week.

Attached to the JupiterEd email with this newsletter link is the Student Process Map for COVID-19. The document is a step-by-step guide of the actions that the campus will take in response to various degrees of COVID-19 exposures. If you would like more information about the process map and how we will implement the steps, please take a look at the Coffee with the Principal video on FB Live from Friday, October 16.

In-School and At-Home Attendance Information

Students are required to attend 90% of their classes in order to earn credit for a class. Beginning last Monday, October 13, attendance taking procedures became different for In-School Learners vs. At-Home Learners due to Texas Education Agency guidelines for reporting Remote Asynchronous Instruction.

In-School Learners

Students who are In-School learners are counted physically present at our official attendance time (10:30 a.m.) for elementary and at the beginning of each class for middle and high school.

At-Home Learners

Students who are At-Home learners are counted present by responding to the Attendance Check Question(s) by 11:59 p.m. each day.

What does this mean?

Learners are not allowed to "float" from one learning environment to another on a day-by-day basis. If an In-School learner is not present at attendance taking time regardless if they have answered the Attendance Check question or not, they are marked absent.

Although In-School learners will more easily be able to keep up with their classwork and assignments through Google Classroom, they will be counted absent if they are not present at school.

S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G Bee! Coming Soon!

We are preparing to host the FWAFA Spelling Bee, and it has to look a good deal different than it ever has before. We want to do everything we can to keep your students safe as we encourage and celebrate their achievement.

The study materials have been posted to JupiterEd under the School Office tab. If you need help locating them, please feel free to contact our English department chair Mrs. Cook at leslie.cook@fwafa.org.

For students who have chosen in-person learning, English teachers will be conducting classroom bees on November 5th and/or 6th.

For students who have chosen at-home learning, we are asking that you complete the registration form attached and meet us at the school on Saturday, November 7th at 9:00 AM. We will conduct a written test in the cafeteria or in several classrooms to allow for social distancing.

If your student qualifies for the school spelling bee, they will compete first in an oral round in the auditorium against other qualifiers in their grade. This will allow us to social distance and make space for family members to attend and social distance.

Then there will be a second school bee round where the winners at each grade level will compete against one another. With only six students competing across grade levels, we will again be able to social distance and welcome families who would like to watch.Students not competing in the spelling bee will not be invited to watch this year.

We do not yet have the dates set for grade level and all-school oral rounds. We are coordinating schedules and it is our hope to have them all completed between November 9th and December 7th.

Tardy Procedures, Early Dismissal, and Late Pick-Ups

Morning Arrival

Being on-time and ready to learn is a critical component to a student's success. If your student arrives to school past 8:20 a.m., please walk your student into the building and sign them in at the front office.

Early Dismissal

In order to ensure a smooth and orderly dismissal, we are unable to call students from class during the last 30 minutes of instruction for a pick-up and early release.

If your student needs to leave school early for a doctor's appointment, please schedule the appointment earlier in the day (prior to 3:15 p.m.) or later in the day (after dismissal).

Late Pick-Ups

Keeping everyone safe and accounted for at all times is our #1 priority. We dismiss 3rd and 4th graders at 3:30 p.m. from the south side of the building. 5th-8th graders are dismissed from the back side of the building and 9th-12th graders are dismissed from the front of the building. Students who are not picked up by the end of dismissal, will be supervised in the cafeteria and parents will need to enter from the side of the building to sign them out.

If you need after-school care, you can find information about our amazing after-school conservatories in this newsletter and on our website, and we also have after-school services through Clayton Youth. Information for this program can be found at www.claytonyouth.org.

First Six Weeks Principal Grade Recovery Plan

Tuesday, October 13 began our Principal Grade Recovery Plan to provide targeted intervention and support to students who did not pass one or more classes during the first six weeks. After-school tutoring this week is from Monday, October 19 to Thursday, October 22 from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. All students will be in the cafeteria. Our online students will join us via Zoom. It is not too late to join us and get caught up from the first six weeks.

All work must be submitted to your teacher by Friday, October 30, at 3:45 p.m. to be considered for first six weeks grade recovery.

If you are interested in your student participating in the program, return the Participation Form to the main office or email it to shatara.warner@fwafa.org.

PTSO Monster Squad Paint Party

We can't wait for the Monster paint party. Please RSVP by October 20 with the following link: https://forms.gle/BwC79dTcccGoCkPP6

You will paint and create your choice of scarecrows, pumpkins, and monsters if you come in person. For those of our friends continuing online learning, we will have take-home kits for you to join the party at home. Please note non FWAFA siblings are invited to participate in this event.

This will be an outdoor event. School safety protocols will be followed for masks and social distancing. Supplies will be distributed for individual and one time use.

October 30 - Literary Character and Famous Artwork Day

If you happen to see The Wicked Witch of the West or Munch's "The Scream" wandering the halls on the last day of the month, you might be alarmed, but don't be surprised... It's really just a student participating in a grand old FWAFA tradition - Literary Character/Famous Artwork day.

Students must have an English, Reading, or Visual Arts teacher sign off on their costume prior to Friday, October 30th. (See attached form on email).

Costumes must cover everything your uniform does. Please leave the toy weapon accessories at home. Miss Wiggins can't wait to add some new living characters and works of art to the yearbook!

October 30 - Junior Class Fundraiser

Mark your calendars! The Class of 2022 presents the perfect socially distanced family entertainment....a Halloween Drive In!

Date: October 30th, 2020

Time: 6:30pm showing of Monster House (PG rating) and 8:30pm showing of Corpse Bride (PG rating)

Where: FWAFA Parking Lot

Price: $20 per car for front row parking or $10 per car for all additional parking.

Snacks will also be available for purchase.

You can purchase tickets to one or both showings.

More information to come soon about pre-purchasing parking spots, snacks, and more!

Monster House Synopsis: No adults believe three youths' (Mitchel Musso, Spencer Locke, Sam Lerner) assertion that a neighboring residence is a living creature that means them harm. With Halloween approaching, the trio must find a way to destroy the structure before innocent trick-or-treaters meet ghastly ends.

Corpse Bride Synopsis: Victor (Johnny Depp) and Victoria's (Emily Watson) families have arranged their marriage. Though they like each other, Victor is nervous about the ceremony. While he's in a forest practicing his lines for the wedding, a tree branch becomes a hand that drags him to the land of the dead. It belongs to Emily, who was murdered after eloping with her love and wants to marry Victor. Victor must get back aboveground before Victoria marries the villainous Barkis Bittern (Richard E. Grant).

After-School Fine Art Conservatories

We would like to invite you to explore our after-school fine arts classes offered through the TCA+A Conservatory programs. Now Available In-Person AND Online!

Starting the week of October 19th, all group classes will allow parents to specify if their child will participate live, online or in-person. With over 30 different classes, for ages 3 - 19, leveled from beginner to advanced, we are confident we have course offerings for every growing artist!

Please reach out to sheyna.ferraro@artsacademics.org with questions or learn more HERE.