Jamie Miller
- Nov 12, 2023
- 5 min read

ACS Weekly Newsletter 11/12/23

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear ACS Families & Staff,

We are so grateful for your support in the past several weeks with Project Celebrations and for helping us fundraise through the Boosterthon program!

As our mission states: "Alamance Community School is committed to helping students become engaged citizens by finding meaning in learning through exploring real-world problems and creating innovative and exciting solutions." Project Celebrations are when we can celebrate how our students have engaged in meaningful learning experiences. One of the most exciting components of Project Based Learning is watching students develop their problem-solving abilities as the school year progresses. We are excited to see what our students learn during the second trimester and look forward to the next round of celebrations!

We are thrilled that with your participation in the Boosterthon fundraiser, we have raised $25,000 to help our school! The money raised will help purchase and update technology and help fund arts and athletics-related needs at ACS.

I want to take a moment to address a common question regarding our fundraising program and the allocation of funds. Throughout the year, other opportunities exist to donate and raise funds for different groups and projects (athletics, grade levels, and PTO, for example). Boosterthon is the one BIG schoolwide fundraiser that helps fund larger goals. It's important to note that a portion of the money raised goes towards covering operational costs associated with organizing and executing any fundraising event (printed materials, resources, prizes, paying employees, etc.). After researching various options, we have chosen to work with Boosterthon for the past four years for several reasons. One reason is that having an energetic team handling the logistics and legwork necessary for a fundraiser of this size is crucial to ensuring it is a success. They truly run the entire program, and that allows our staff to stay focused on the critical work of educating students. Additionally, they include valuable character development lessons and initiatives that align with the values at ACS, and the Boosterthon team serves as role models to our students while on campus.

I also want to share more information about the incentives. The program does include prizes that students can earn based on the amount of money they raise; however, there are class incentives as well that are not dependent upon individual participation. Instead, the class donations are totaled, and the whole class can earn something like extra recess or a pajama day. This helps all students feel included. The Fun Run event also helps all students feel included since they can participate regardless of how much fundraising they can do. It's a fun, community-building day for everyone and something the students look forward to each year!

Hopefully, this information helps clarify how decisions are made when determining the big school fundraiser. If you have ideas about fundraising events and ways they can be effectively implemented to meet the needs of our school, please send them my way!

Best,

Jamie Miller, Principal

IMPORTANT DATES:

November 17: SMILE! It's Picture Day!

November 22-24: Thanksgiving Break (No school for staff and students)

December 12: Early Release (11:45 dismissal)

December 13-January 2: Moving Days and Winter Break

January 3: Students return to school

REMINDERS

REVISED CALENDAR & WORK DAYS FOR MOVING:

Students will begin their winter break early and make Tuesday, December 12 an Early Release Day with dismissal at 11:45 AM, so that staff can begin to move classrooms and offices into the cottage.
Students will be out of school for the remainder of the week on Wednesday, December 13, Thursday, December 14, and Friday, December 15.
Students will return to school on Wednesday, January 3 and our 5th and 6th graders will finally be in the cottage!
Please see the attached Revised 2023 - 2024 Calendar that reflects the changes and you can also find it on our website using this link: 2023-2024 ACS Calendar - Board Approved & Revised 10.19.23

GENESIS

Reminder: Winter Wonderland Camp from Tuesday, December 12 - Friday, December 15. $99 Until Nov 15

The camp will operate on:

Tuesday, December 12: 11:45 AM - 4:00 PM (Early Release for Students & Winter Break Begins for Students)
Wednesday, December 13: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)
Thursday, December 14: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)
Friday, December 15: 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM (NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)

You can register for the Winter Wonderland Camp using this link: https://www.hisawyer.com/genesis-athletics/schedules/activity-set/556512

PTO NEWS

Tuesday the 14th from 5:00-8:00 is our November dinner fundraiser at the Graham Zaxby's, located at 501 South Main Street! It will also be FOURTH GRADE Competition Night! Place your order inside, at the drive thru, or on the app, and 10% of the purchase will be donated to the PTO. If you are joining us for the dinner fundraiser, there is nothing more for you to do than grab a bite to eat between 5:00 and 8:00pm. If your student is a Fourth Grader, make sure you pop into the dining room to drop their name into their teacher's cup on the fundraiser table in order to make your visit count in the competition. The class with the highest participation wins a catered lunch!

Wednesday the 15th is National Educational Support Professionals Day! This day serves as a reminder to show our appreciation for all of the vital team members who keep our school running, both face-to-face and behind the scenes! Folks like Karen Cozart greeting grown ups and assisting kids with whatever they need in the front office, Shaquana Saulters (Mrs. Q to the ACS family) keeping our school clean and checking up on students and staff alike, and Evelyn Kreiley bringing all kinds of fun opportunities to our school through the Genesis and 4-H programs. Our Social Worker, Cindy Gittens, and MTSS Coordinator, Mary Beth Tucker, who provide targeted support to meet students' needs and improve social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. The academic and instructional support of our Student Records and Testing Coordinator, Leslie Jewell, and Curriculum Director, Catherine Quick. Finally, our Charter Success Partners Project Manager, Kelly Holland, who supports our school's continued growth and expansion. All of us in the PTO wish to give each of our Educational Support Professionals a hearty THANK YOU, and we are so happy to recognize you this Wednesday!

Want to join us in celebrating our Educational Support Professionals this Wednesday? Any notes, gifts, or treats that you would like to drop off can be left in the front office, marked ESP Day!

Our Texas Roadhouse Gift Card Presale Fundraiser was a smashing success! Crossing the pre-order threshold of $10,000 worth of gift cards, not only snagged the school a catered faculty and staff luncheon courtesy of Burlington Texas Roadhouse, but it also bumped the PTO percentage up to 15% of all sales--a whopping $1,954! We are already excitedly discussing how to best use these funds to enhance the experience of all of our students! Be on the look-out for more news to come!

VOLUNTEERING

We have loved having so many volunteers in the classroom! Thank you for supporting our students and staff!

Volunteerism at our school is a way for you, parents and guardians, to learn more about ACS, engage in a positive way with your child’s teachers, and witness firsthand the hard work and dedication that all our staff - teachers, assistants, support staff, and administrators demonstrate each and every day.

It is also a way to support your student and other students by assisting with workstations or a small group, helping with clerical tasks or lunch, and/or something as simple as reading a book to the class. You do not have to be an educator to volunteer, and everyone is welcome! Please click on the ACS Volunteer Form Link below to find ways that you can volunteer to help support our school! https://forms.gle/6iPiTAYNhm14BezV6

NOW HIRING FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR

If you or someone you know would be a good fit for ACS, please apply through our website under the ‘Employment’ tab (see link below) and email a resume to Jamie Miller at jmiller@alamancecommunityschool.net

LINK TO APPLICATION