From the Principal's Desk
Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts
A Howdy Week Hello From Seniors 2021
A longstanding Senior tradition at FWAFA at the end of Howdy Week is for our Seniors to wow everyone with their dance skills at Friday's morning assembly. We call this "The Senior Dance!" Although we are all learning At-Home right now, our unflappable seniors decided to adapt and get creative. They have created an AWESOME music video for you.
Presenting, the FWAFA Senior Class of 2021!
At-Home Learning Attendance Policy
Per Texas Education Code (TEC), 25.092, students must attend 90% of the days a course is offered (with some exceptions) in order to be awarded credit for the course and/or be promoted to the next grade level. This requirement remains in force during the 2020-2021 school year.
Students will demonstrate attendance when learning in the At-Home Learning model by responding to the Attendance Check question in Google Classroom each day.
The Attendance Check question will open in Google Classroom at 8:00 a.m. and will close at 11:59 p.m. each day.
Elementary students (3-6) will demonstrate being present to their first academic rotation teacher.
Secondary students (7-12) will demonstrate being present to the classes that they have that day on the modified block schedule.
- On Mondays, students will answer Attendance Check questions for all 8 classes.
- On Tuesday/Thursdays, students will answer Attendance Check questions for their odd classes.
- On Wednesday/Fridays, students will answer Attendance Check questions for their even classes.
In-School Learning and At-Home Learning Information
All students who choose In-School Learning will report to school on Tuesday, October 13, at 8:00 a.m. with dismissal at 3:45 p.m.
Unless our school is required to close by the Texas Education Agency, we will offer both In-School and At-Home Learning models for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year.
If you would like to change your commitment from one learning environment to another, this can be done by emailing me (jennifer.jackson@fwafa.org) two weeks prior to the end of each grading period.
The deadlines to make a change for each six weeks are as follows:
2nd six weeks - September 11
3rd six weeks - October 23
4th six weeks - January 5
5th six weeks - February 5
6th six weeks - March 26
In the coming weeks, I will be sharing more detailed information on the routines and procedures that we will follow to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 when students, teachers, and staff return to the building. This will include procedures for daily symptom screening, arrival, dismissal, cafeteria and lunch procedures, face coverings, in-class procedures, shared supplies, procedures for fine arts and PE classes, etc.
Likewise, I will also be sharing more detailed information about how At-Home Learning will transition to a predominantly asynchronous model, support for students from our online mentors, curriculum resources we will be using, etc.
Transition Plan for In-School Success
We will phase in groups of students over a 3 week period to transition from our 100% At-Home Learning plan to In-School Learning and practice the TCAA Back-To-School Health processes and procedures that are being put in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Students who choose In-School Learning on the Back to School Commitment form who are showing a lack of attendance or academic progress in the online environment based on their progress report, on a Section 504 plan or Individualized Education program, or have extenuating circumstances will be notified by the school by September 11 that they will report to school on September 21 and continue with In-School Learning until the end of the school year.
Students whose last names begin with letters A-L will come to In-School Learning from September 28 to October 2. Students whose last names begin with letters M-Z will come to In-School Learning from October 5 to October 9.
During these 3 transition weeks, students will continue to follow the Asynchronous Learning plan with Zoom meetings starting at 9:00 a.m. and ending at 1:30 p.m. Students are encouraged to bring their own technology device.
Students in grades 3 and 4 will eat lunch at their regularly scheduled time from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Students in grades 5 to 12 will eat lunch from 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. During this transition time, students will need to bring a ready-to-eat lunch (and snacks) and water bottle. Food may not be shared with other students.
Asynchronous Academic and Fine Arts Flex time will continue at its regular time during the day. For grades 3 and 4, this is from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and for grades 5-12, this is from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Back to School Nights - Transitioning to In-School Learning
Monday, September 14 at 6:00 p.m. - Back to School with TCAA on FaceBook Live. Our Interim President/CEO Dr. Thomson and Interim Superintendent/CAO Dr. Vaughan will discuss measures the district will take to prevent the COVID-19 virus from entering the school and practices that have been put in place to respond in the event that we have a test-confirmed case in the school.
Tuesday, September 15 at 6:00 p.m. - Back to School with Dr. Jackson on FaceBook Live. I will outline the procedures and routines that we will follow to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus and provide an opportunity for students and families to ask questions about our health plans.
Wednesday, September 16
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Grades 3 and 4
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - Grades 7, 8, and 9
Thursday, September 17
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Grades 5 and 6
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - Grades 10, 11, and 12
In-School Learning: Dress Code Requirements
Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts and its performing groups are uniformed organizations. The following provides general guidelines for all students; however, each performing group or artistic discipline may have more specific dress code standards.
Students and their families are responsible for understanding and complying with the requirements of their chosen disciplines. In addition to the school uniform, additional uniform items, costumes and luggage may be required depending on a student’s fine arts group.
The Dress Code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption, minimize safety hazards, and create a sense of equality and unity on our campus. Uniform compliance is a positive learning experience for students involved in professional training and will help individual students learn specific responsibilities.
Once a student is enrolled in school, he/she should obtain the required uniform items.
Students are expected to be in dress code beginning the first day of school. Violations in dress code will result in a Silent Lunch Detention.
Standards of Dress
Shoes
Students must wear closed-toe and closed-heel shoes, clean and in good condition, no heels over 2 inches, no flip-flops, sandals, slippers, moccasins, or steel-toed boots
Spirit Dress Days
Every Friday is Spirit Dress Day. Throughout the year, we also have Free Dress Days.
Spirit dress consists of standard blue colored blue jeans in good condition without holes, or other approved uniform bottoms worn with the 2020-2021 FWAFA Spirit Shirt.
On half-days at the end of each six-week period, students are allowed to wear any FWAFA spirit shirt.
Free dress consists of clothing of the student’s choice, as long as it is in keeping with the standards set by the dress code. Length of clothing and coverage of the body must be consistent with uniform standards of dress. Students and families will be notified of dates for Free Dress through JupiterEd. sult in a silent lunch detention.
Tops
Red or blue Flynn O’Hara Uniform FWAFA-logoed polo shirt
White or light blue uniform oxford shirt with button-down collar, short or long- sleeved
FWAFA sweatshirts, cardigans, or hoodies sold through FWAFA or Flynn O’Hara Uniforms and worn over a dress code shirt
Bottoms
Flynn O’Hara Uniform plaid skirt no shorter than two inches above the knee
Flynn O’Hara Uniform plaid jumper that comes to the top of the knee (worn with oxford shirt)
Khaki pants or shorts no shorter than two inches above the knee with a black or brown belt or khaki skirt
Overall Appearance
Students must show respect for the academic environment by being well-groomed while attending school or school-related functions.
FWAFA uniforms will be worn in a clean and neat manner.
Students shall not wear any clothing or accessories that distract from or interfere with the education of themselves or others or is in any way disruptive to the learning environment.
Shirts must be worn tucked in at all times.
Visible undershirts must be white.
Apparel other than designated school uniforms is not to be worn at school unless the principal gives special permission to do so.
Juniors: Two Dates Announced for PSAT
CollegeBoard has recently announced that a second date is available to administer the PSAT/NMSQT test. The two dates are Thursday, October 29, 2020 and Tuesday, January 26, 2021.
11th graders have the opportunity to take the test one time on either date. The January 2021 administration will have the same benefits as the October PSAT/NMSQT, including eligibility for programs administed by National Merit Scholarship Corporation. More information on how to register for the test on either date will be sent to 11th graders and their families this week.
9th and 10th graders will be able to take the test on January 26. Information on how to register for that date will be communicated in October.
September 18: Student Choreography Concert
FWAFA's annual Student Choreography Concert is coming up! All students are eligible to submit and audition for this online concert, and the UPDATED Audition Submission Deadline is Wednesday, September 2, at 5 p.m. We know things look a little different this year, but we are so excited to be able to create and be a part of something that can be shared with everyone! Please see the audition details and guidelines document for more information about how to audition, and enjoy the commercial telling you more about this online concert.
Student Choreography Concert Audition Details
Spirit Wear
We are pleased to share with you the winning design for the FWAFA 2020/2021 Spirit Wear Shirts designed by 2021 Senior, Sydney Collings!!
The spirit shirt designs and the order form are attached to the JupiterEd email.
We are also super excited to let you know that we have added the ability to place and pay for orders online (www.artsacademics.org/fwafa-spirit-wear/). If you would rather order with cash or check (made out to TCAA), you can complete the attached order form and mail it or drop it off at school. All orders must be placed by Friday, September 4th.
Be sure you order this year's shirts so that your student can wear jeans and this year's shirt EVERY Friday once we return to campus AND be a part of this year’s big “21” group photo. All students and staff that purchase a spirit shirt will be invited to participate in our traditional yearbook photo celebrating this year’s Seniors. This picture may look slightly different this year to allow us to follow health a safety guidelines. More details coming soon!
Don't forget to order outerwear too for those chilly classrooms!!
All profits from Spirit Wear sales go to support your 2021 Seniors. Thank you so much for being a part of making their last year at FWAFA a year to remember!!
Artsathon: TCAA Through the Ages
We are excited to kick off our 75th Anniversary Celebration with Artsathon: TCAA Through the Ages, a virtual time capsule of our past, celebration of our present, and announcements and discussion to get us excited about the future of our organization. From the first rehearsal of the Denton Civic Boys Choir in 1946, which laid the foundation for Texas Boys Choir, Inc., to growing and evolving to where we are today, Texas Center for Arts + Academics has always supported the talents and creativity of our students.
This year, we learned that even when we cannot perform in person, the show must go on! Artsathon: Live! was a tremendous success this spring, and we couldn't wait to bring it back! We invite you to join in the celebration by participating, watching, and helping us meet our goal.
This fundraiser will serve as the final cap to our annual fundraising drive, and there will be opportunities throughout the evening to support the great work of the schools, premiere choirs, and programs. Tune in on Facebook Live Sunday, September 27th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for performances from current TCAA families, faculty, and alumni, interviews, announcements, and prizes throughout the evening!
Make sure you “Like” the Texas Center for Arts + Academics Facebook Page and invite your friends and family to the Artsathon: TCAA Through the Ages Event on Facebook so everyone can tune-in to see your segment. Thank you for helping us make this a successful and fun event!
Clayton After-School Care
