Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. It is a season of waiting, hope, and anticipation. The celebration of Advent as we know it, began as early as the 6th century and evolved over the years to include not only the celebration of the Incarnat ion, but also the expectant waiting for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Click here to download an Advent calendar.

Many of our churches and families use an Advent wreath to move through the season in a purposeful way. The Advent wreath is a circular garland of evergreen branches that represents eternity and has no beginning or end. The wreath holds five candles. Three purple candles and one pink candle stand around the outside of the wreath, and a white candle fills the center. Each Sunday during the Advent season, one candle-each representing an aspect of the spiritual preparation for the coming of the Lord - is lit. The Advent wreath progressively gets brighter and brighter as Christmas approaches. As the candle burns throughout the week and becomes smaller and smaller, it helps us remember that time continually passes and the return of Christ becomes nearer and nearer with each passing day. 


How are you preparing your heart for Christ's coming this Christmas season?  
Join us this Friday as we begin to celebrate Advent in chapel.

Mrs. Wenger
5th Grade Teacher 
TOMORROW
Chapel and Parent Cafe

Join us for chapel tomorrow at 8:15 A.M.  
Mrs. Verity Schramm, 4th grade teacher, 
will be speaking on 
"The Heavens declare His handiwork."
Mrs. Wenger and the 5th grade class will be preparing our hearts for Christmas by lighting the advent wreath and reading from Isaiah.

Arma Dei Parent Cafe immediately follows tomorrow's chapel in the atrium.
Dress Warm for P.E.

Please pack 4 - 8 grade students warm attire for P.E. as they are planning to be outside.  
Plain black sweat pants/sweat shirts may be worn (no yoga or tight fitting pants).  
Please pack gloves and hats as well.

K - 3 grade will need a jacket, but will not be spending the entire time outside.

VESPERS AT VALOR

Arma Dei Academy has been invited to experience Christmas anew at Valor  Vespers  on Monday,  December 5th (date change)


Arriving at Valor Performing Arts Hall at  10:15 AM
Show begins at  10:30 AM
Arriving back to the academy by 11:40/11:45 AM (on time for K dismissal and 1, 4 lunch)

CHRISTMAS CHAPEL & CAROLING
December 16, 2015
Chapel 8:15 A.M. - 9:15 A.M.
Caroling 9:30 A.M.- 11:30 A.M.

Mark your calendars for Friday, December 16.
Christmas Sing-a-long and student performances.
Come sing carols with us, hear students read from Isaiah and Luke, and celebrate the birth of Christ. 

Also, join your student as they visit local retirement homes, sing carols, share Christmas cookies and visit with residents.   We will return to school by 11:30 am for pizza and fun.

We are asking each family to bring 1 dozen cookies on a paper or plastic plate wrapped in saran wrap.  Please drop off the cookies in the teachers lounge Thursday Dec 15 or Friday morning 
Dec 16.

We hope everyone can join us!
Early dismissal at 12:30 P.M.
 
Thanksgiving & Veterans Celebration Videos  are now on Vimeo
MENS STUDY
Join Arma Dei dads TOMORROW at 6:30 A.M. - 7:30 A.M. in the Teachers lounge.

Meeting Times/Topics: 
December 2 - How do we engage our kids at a heart level?
December 16 - How we model our identity in Christ?

For more information contact Greg Vigil.
All studies are stand alone and unique, so please join anytime!


Photo Re-takes
Tomorrow, December 2
9:00 A.M.

Photos will be taken in the Living Way Fellowship preschool room.

Please bring your purchased photos with you to exchange with the photographer. 
If you did not purchase photos OR did not have your picture taken in September, 
please bring an order form. 

2017-2018 School Year Preview Meeting
Thursday, January 12
7:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.

Please join us Thursday, January 12, for our annual Parent Preview Meeting. 

This meeting offers an overview of the upcoming  2017-2018 Arma Dei Academy school year and news about the academy's growth and development.
 
Classrooms will be open for touring.  
Please arrange for childcare.

CHRISTMAS MISSIONS OPPORTUNITY
I n October, many of you helped bless our neighbors in Edgewater, Colorado, by landscaping, painting, and building at Lumberg Elementary School.

God has provided us another opportunity to continue building relationships with these families and students.  Ninety-five percent of the student population at Lumberg is on free and reduced lunch and 200 of their students do not receive Christmas gifts. 

Arma Dei Academy has committed to buying 30 children two Christmas presents.  Each class will be assigned students to adopt.  Please join us in blessing those less fortunate and teaching our children that it is truly "more blessed to give than receive." 

Watch for more details from your room moms and classroom newsletters.
Scrip 
Amazon Smile
Last chance to order Traditional Scrip gift cards before Christmas Break.


Christmas Break Order Schedule: Traditional gift card orders placed by  Tuesday, December 6th by 3:00 p.m.will be delivered on Wednesday, December 14th by  8:00 a.m. This is your last opportunity to order traditional gift cards and have them delivered prior to break. Any traditional gift card orders placed between  December 7th-December 27th by  3:00 p.m., will be delivered  Wednesday, January 4th after  8:00 a.m. (school closed for Christmas Break)

If you have any questions, please contact our scrip coordinator, Gigi Schlomer via email   scrip@armadeiacademy.com.





If you are planning on ordering Christmas items from Amazon.com, please consider registering with AmazonSmile.  This Amazon program will donate 5% of the price of your eligible purchases to Arma Dei Academy.  




STUDENTS ARE ENJOYING THE 
NEW TURF FIELD
Thank you!



PLEASE JOIN US!
Several generous families have offered to match up to $100,00.00 given between now and 
December 31. Eighteen donors, including a student and grandparents, have contributed $35,006.12 to the matching gift campaign.   Please help us reach our $100,000 matching gift challenge.  

No amount is too small.

Every gift is appreciated and every gift is meaningful.

STEM OPPORTUNITIES IN JANUARY
5-8th Grade
Underwater Robotics
SeaPerch Design Challenge

2nd-3rd Grade
Lego Simple Machines

4th-5th Grade
Robotics
2016-2017 Lego WeDo Design Challenge

Kindergarten-1st Grade
Lego Early Simple Machine Design Challenge
More details and registration will be posted soon. 
RE-ENROLLMENT BEGINS IN JANUARY
Watch your email inbox for important documents and the re-enrollment agreement beginning  January 2, 2017

For your student's spot to be guaranteed, this agreement must be signed by  January 18, 2017 and the non-refundable deposit of $500 paid on  February 5, 2017 through your FACTS account. 

Questions? Please contact Dina Ogg.

NOTES FROM THE ARMA DEI BOARD
With the installation of the new playground expansion currently underway, the academy board continues to pray and investigate the next steps in developing the 6.5 acre campus. 

The board is in the midst of a search for a permanent Head of School. Three finalists were selected from a pool of ten applicants.  The first candidate visited us on November 11th, the second and third will be on site on December 2nd and 9th, respectively.  If you have opportunity, please introduce yourself to them at chapel. Above all, please continue to pray for wisdom and discernment for the board and the interview team.