SOLI DEO GLORIA NOV 10 - RSVP Deadline NOV 13 - Thanksgiving Dinner United Christian Academy 65 School Street, Newport, VT 05855 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ucaeducation.org (802) 334-3112 + Fax 334-2305 WEEKLY NEWS November 6, 2014 2014-2015 Theme: RENEW Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing, and perfect will. TOMORROW NIGHT When? Friday, November 7th Time? 5:00 to 7:00 Where? UCA Auditorium We hope you will bring your Lower School Student, siblings and friends to this fun filled time of face painting, cookie decorating, games, etc., sponsored by the Senior Class. We are asking that each family from the upper school and lower school bring a bag of candy which can be dropped off in the front office ASAP. There will be a $3 suggested donation to benefit the senior class. See reservation flyer below Nov 10 & 11 Parent Conferences-Note Time Changes Below Parent Conferences for Upper School will be held on Monday and Tuesday, November 10 and 11. On Monday the hours will be from 5-7 PM. On Tuesday the hours will be from 3-5 PM. Lower School conferences will run for the entire week as scheduled with the parents and teachers. Nov 11 - Veterans' Day We will be having a special 20+- minute opening in the morning in honor of Veterans' Day. Mrs. Geib will be showing a PowerPoint presentation which will include photos of current Veterans who have sent us their picture along with their name, rank, dates, etc. Of course, the Veterans are also welcome to attend. Families can send in pictures of family members and friends who are current Veterans. Please send photos and information via email to [email protected] Nov 11 - North Woods Visit The North Woods Stewardship Center will be coming at 1:00 PM to do an "All About Canid" presentation to the Lower School. We would like to thank the members of the Newport Garden Club for sponsoring the cost and are pleased that the ladies of the club will be here to join us for the presentation. Nov 11 - UCA Board Meeting Meeting will be held at the Kuniholm Education Center (KEC) on 11/11 at 6:00pm. (See attachment below) See reservation flyer below Healthy Habits Homework I will do sit ups! I will try to do sit ups every day! I will even challenge my friends to try them with me! I love doing sit ups! Submitted by P.E. Teacher Ms. Hoadley Wish List Mrs. Bickford - Grade 1Headphones for classroom and two DVD's for the classroom 1. Josh and the Big Wall - Veggie Tales 2. The Prince of Egypt - Disney Mrs. DeLaBruere - Art - We are in need of jello or pudding boxes or other boxes of similar shape. Mrs. Lippmann -Science: A large dorm size fridge for specimen storage. Upcoming Calendar Events Nov 10,11 Parent Teacher Conferences Nov 11 - Veterans' Day SCHOOL's OPEN Nov 13 - Thanksgiving Dinner Grammar School: 11:00-12:15 Upper School: 12:15-12:45 Nov 26 - 1/2 Day T Day Vacation Begins Nov 27,28 - Thanksgiving Vacation SCHOOL CLOSED Dec. 11 - Upper School Christmas Concert- Church of God at 7:00pm Dec. 18 - Lower School Christmas Concert - Cornerstone E. Free Church at 7:00 Weekly Scripture Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Mt 4:4 UCA Board Meeting At UCA's next Board Meeting some clarifications, updates and minor changes to the UCA Constitution will be voted on. Attached is the current language with the revisions noted. If you have questions or an interest in these changes please feel free to attend the meeting so they can be addressed/discussed prior to final vote. Farewells to Come It is with deep regret that we announce that our 5th grade teacher, Michele Geib, will not be returning for the second semester of the 2014-2015 school year due to her husband’s out of state military transfer. We do rejoice with Michele and Kurt for this opportunity that has come their way, but we are sad to see them go, along with their two children, UCA students, Danielle and Nathanael. Michele’s presence will certainly be missed at UCA. Though she joined the faculty just last year, her contribution as a faculty member has been significant. Michele brought a high quality of teaching to the classroom and always modeled Godly character to her colleagues and students. She will be missed. Please keep Michele and her family in your prayers, as well as UCA, as we search for a candidate to take her place. Here is the ad that you may see in the local papers or posted at your church. United Christian Academy 65 School Street Newport, VT 05855 (www.ucaeducation.org) 802-334-3112 Due to a faculty member’s military transfer, UCA is seeking th a full-time 5 grade teacher beginning in January, 2015. We are committed to our students and families to have teachers who: Agree with the UCA Statement of Faith as demonstrated by life, word, and deed Possess passion for learning and the gift of teaching Partner with parents in the education of their children Set an example of servant-leadership and work as a member of an academic team Love children and bring a desire to instruct and discipline in a manner which encourages academic and personal excellence Have excellent interpersonal skills Have excellent organizational skills Have a minimum of a four year college degree Please send a copy of your resume to: United Christian Academy Attn: Mr. David Strepka 65 School Street Newport, VT 05855 Email: [email protected] United Christian Academy Welcomes New Head of School United Christian Academy would like to welcome Mr. David Strepka as our new Head of School. With over twenty-five years of experience teaching and working with youth, he is excited to be reunited with the excellent faculty, staff, students and families at UCA. Mr. Strepka served as the upper school math teacher from 1997 through 2007, then moved to Massachusetts to pursue graduate studies. Mr. Strepka has teaching experience in small, large, private and public schools- and has also worked full-time as a youth minister. He is excited to be back in the NEK, an area he has always considered home, and looks forward to moving UCA forward, as Newport faces an expected surge in growth over the next several years. One of the greatest strengths that Mr. Strepka brings to this position is his long-established passion for the school's faculty and families who have built UCA’s outstanding reputation. He is enjoying getting to know each current student, and looks forward to welcoming many new students and families into the UCA family. Mr. Strepka is dedicated to strengthening the United Christian Academy's commitment to academic excellence, personal and spiritual integrity, and community service in the Newport area. Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Rod Ames said, "The Board of Directors is very pleased to welcome Dave Strepka, and his family, back to our school. We look forward to Mr. Strepka's leadership and Christian fellowship, as United Christian Academy enters its 20th year." Long time friend, Mr. Jim Smith, who has taught history at UCA for sixteen years, shared some thoughts about welcoming his former colleague back as his new boss. "I have known David Strepka for about sixteen years. We taught together for seven years; and I remember many good times. We became friends, in and out of school; and when he left, it was never the same. He has a true Christian heart and believes in the school's mission and values. It's nice to see the changes taking place in the school and know that you are among friends." Mr. Strepka is joined by his wife, Kimberlee, and daughter, Madeline, who entered the seventh grade, at UCA, this fall. The entire United Christian Academy community would like to extend a warm welcome to the Strepka Family. Great things are expected in the years to come; as we work together in partnership to provide our community with a unique and distinctively Christian education alternative. United Christian Academy Welcomes Back Kimberlee Strepka United Christian Academy would like to welcome the return of Mrs. Kimberlee Strepka as our music teacher. Kim, wife of David Strepka, UCA’s new Head of School, has been teaching music for more than twenty-five years and is teaching lower school general music, handchimes, and handbells, as well as two upper school handbell ensembles and concert chorus. Kim comes to UCA with a Bachelor of Choral Music Education from the Hartt School of Music, a Master of Music from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and she is currently a doctoral candidate in music education at Boston University. She is a nationally-recognized clinician with the Handbell Musicians of America and has done graduate work at the Choral Institute in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and at the Laban/Barteneiff Institute of Movement Studies in Manhattan. Kim is the author of Handbell Artistry from the Inside Out: Laban Movement Theory for the Handbell Musician (GIA, 2012), a text that has been praised by college professors as a long-missing resource for handbells in academia. She is also a published arranger, and collaborator with Dan Goeller Music. Kim founded the handbell program at UCA in 1997 and by the year 2000 she had established the Bronze Ambassadors, an advanced level handbell ensemble that toured throughout the United States, performed on four television networks, and appeared at regional and national handbell events. During those very special years, the Ambassadors shared their gift of music twice at Ground Zero in NYC, at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, and at numerous churches, hospitals, orphanages, and prisons. UCA alumnus, Joshua Griffes, is now the school’s piano accompanist. Griffes shared, "Kim is a hard-working, dedicated musician who loves to share her passion with her students. I was a student under Kim for nine years and am now working beside her. I have yet to know anyone who does not love her, and who has not benefited from her teaching. Students blossom under Kim's direction and are motivated to always take what they know and improve on it.” Kim is excited to be back at UCA and to see what new adventures lie ahead for the music students in the coming years. Kim has always considered the Northeast Kingdom her home; and regards it a privilege to once again serve the families of United Christian Academy.
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