Eagle Eye 5-7-2017

May 7, 2017

A Father's Love
When does the Headmaster approve of being out late on a school night? When you’re at school attending a worship service with friends, faculty, and family. Our second annual “Night of Worship” was held this past Thursday and it was such a blessing, I think we may have to consider doing it more often. A huge “thank you” to our own Chip Barber, who coordinated the event and shared from his heart as he led us in prayer. You are a much-loved treasure in our school family, Mr. Barber.

Describing God’s love for us, one of the worship leaders, Casey Darnell, shared a story worth passing on. Casey and his wife are parents to four daughters, the youngest being an infant still struggling to sleep through the night. On a recent evening as he held his baby girl, Casey considered that, while he loved this child with all his heart and knew she would arrive in this world even before she was born, she had no idea who he was. At this stage of life, she would readily be held by the nearest adult with a warm bottle. She had no idea how much her father loved her, no idea how much he would sacrifice for her, and yet he loved her all the same.

And so it is with our Heavenly Father. Long before we realize, He has loved us as His own. Well before we learn to recognize His voice, He is calling. While we are in spiritual infancy, with no idea who He is, He is still our Father, protecting us, loving us, and calling us to Himself. What a powerful, comforting truth for us to consider this week, summed up perfectly in I John 3:1:

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”

Blessings,

Jim R. Callis

Head of School

Dates to Remember

Tuesday, May 9: MS Night of the Arts; 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 11: LS Night of the Arts; 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 9 - Wednesday, May 24: US Exams; 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 11 & Friday, May 12: 8th Grade Exams; 8:00 - 12:00 p.m.

Friday, May 12: 8th Grade End of Year Picnic; 12:00 p.m.

Friday, May 12: Athletic Banquet in the Fellowship Hall; 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 13 - Friday, May 19: 8th Grade Mission Trip, Chinle, AZ

Monday, May 22 & Tuesday, May 23: No School for 8th Grade ONLY

Sunday, May 21 - Tuesday, May 23: 6th Grade Trip to Washington, DC

Monday, May 22: LS Field Day & Bike Parade

Tuesday, May 23: 8th Grade Celebration Dinner; 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 24: LS Awards & 5th Grade Crossover; 8:30 a.m.

Wednesday, May 24: MS Field Day at the North Campus; 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 24: Last Day of School; Early Release Both Campuses; No ASP

Admission

Rolling Admission is Underway
The admission deadline for 1st round consideration has passed, but never fear, we will continue to accept applications on a rolling basis. Space is still available at some grade levels, some more limited than others. This means that it's not too late to apply for admission for next year. Link here to apply for admission.

Save the Date

Spring MS Night of the Arts

Tuesday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m.

Please join us this Tuesday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. for the Spring MS Night of the Arts! Our middle-schoolers have been working so hard this semester, and we are so proud of their artistic accomplishments. Enjoy the musical talents of our MS Band and Chorus and enjoy the gallery-style exhibit of our Visual Arts students. Performances and exhibits will take place in the MBUMC sanctuary and narthex, and the Academy library. We encourage all students and their families to come out and show your support for our student artists!

MBCA Gallery Art Show

May 10 - 17, 2017

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is proud to announce that the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art will be displaying a select few pieces of artwork created by our upperclassmen from May 10 - 17.

Please visit the Museum during these dates to view our student's work displayed in the lobby, and join us at the closing reception on May 17 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. to meet the artists.

Yoonae Bae - 11th grade

Erika Benner - 11th grade

Katelyn Bond - 10th grade

Bekah Cary - 10th grade

LS Night of the Arts and Spring Music Program

Thursday, May 11

Be sure to save the date for the Lower School Art Show from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on May 11. Also, don't miss the LS Music Program (JK-2nd grades), which starts at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. It will be a night full of art and music!

MBCA Lower School Spirit Week

May 15 - 19

Sponsored by MBCA Lower School Student Government

Come prepared to show your MBCA Spirit! School uniform must be worn on Monday and Thursday. Uniforms bottoms must be worn on Wednesday and Friday. Chapel uniform to be worn on Tuesday.

Monday (5/15) - Crazy Sock Day

Tuesday (5/16) - Funny Hat Day

Wednesday (5/17) - Favorite Sports Team Day

Thursday (5/18) - Backward Day

Friday (5/19) - MBCA Spirit Wear with Jeans

*Parent Council will be providing special treats throughout the week.

K.O. Sno-Balls

Wednesday, May 17

Main Campus

K.O. Sno-Balls will be at the Main Campus after school on May 17 selling shaved ice, ice-cream and frozen yogurt. The truck will be located by the playground in front of DeVore Hall. K.O. Sno-Balls will give 20% of the sales back to our school. Come out and enjoy a cold treat after school!

4th Annual Bike Parade
Monday, May 22
Your kids won't want to miss out on MBCA's 4th Annual Bike Parade!!
Join Coach Hall and our Grand Marshal, Ian Casey, on Monday, May 22 for an exciting Bike Parade! Your kids will follow a path around (and possibly through) the school to show off their creatively decorated bikes!

Have your child decorate their bike or non-motorized scooter for a chance to be crowned the 2017 Bike Parade winner (prize to be announced soon). Judging will be based on overall creativity of bike decor. No helium balloons please!

To register to join the ride, simply submit your check or cash in an envelope with your child's name and grade on it to the reception desk. Please put "Bike Parade" in the memo line of your check made to MBCA. Registration is $15.00 per child. This event is for JK - 5th grade only.

Bikes and scooters should be dropped off in the Fairfield parking lot (upper lot at the church) during morning carpool until 8:15 a.m. on Monday, May 22. They can be picked up after school in the same area. The parade will start after Field Day and helmets are required for ALL participants!

If you'd like to help with the Bike Parade, please send email to Pam Johnston .

Used Uniform Sale
Tuesday, May 23

7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Room F-015
Plan now for next year and shop the 2017 MBCA Used Uniform Sale! You can drop-off clothes on Monday, May 22. Gently used uniforms for Lower, Middle and Upper School students may be purchased at the Used Uniform Sale. We will also be including a section for Greek Day, Colonial Day, History Day, Wax Museum, Performance Reader, etc.! We’ll have a list by grade level to help you plan.

Sellers are paid individually, so please bring plenty of $1’s and $5’s to speed-up the checkout process. Checks are to be made out to individual sellers. If you miss the sale, there is a closed Facebook group where MBCA parents can share uniform pieces throughout the year.

Link here to sign up to volunteer. If you plan to be a seller, please view the used uniform seller detail form.

Announcements

Forms for the 2017-2018 School Year

Due Back to School on Monday, May 8

We are making plans for the 2017-2018 school year! On Thursday, May 4, your student brought home a manilla envelope of forms for you to complete and return. The packet included: Emergency Contact and Medical Consent Form, Student Release Authorization Form and an After School Program (ASP) form.

Please take a few minutes to fill out these three forms and return them to your child’s homeroom teacher by Monday, May 8. Please do not return the forms to the MBCA Reception Desk. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Ellen Harward, MBCA’s Registrar. If you’ve misplaced your forms, we have more forms at the reception desk or click here to download them.

Lost and Found
May 15 - 19
We will be placing all "lost & found" items on tables in the Academy lobby starting Monday, May 15. If you've been peeking under the bed or behind the refrigerator all year looking for lost items, there's a good chance they'll be on the lost and found table. Please Note: All unclaimed items will be donated. We have jackets, water bottles, hair bows, and much more!

Last Day of School Announcement

Wednesday, May 24

Dismissal schedule for the last day of school will be as follows:

Main Campus

11:35 a.m. Walk-up for JK-3rd

11:40 a.m. Walk-up for 4th-5th

11:45 a.m. LS carpool begins

North Campus

10:15 a.m. US is dismissed after exams

8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Field Day Pickup/Dropoff times for MS at the North Campus

**There will be no bus service or ASP on this day. Please make plans accordingly.

Bus Registration

It’s time to register for the bus service for next year. Current bus riders can register by clicking and filling out the registration form and waiver below.

You can fill out and turn in to the reception desk or scan and email to Denise Azar . Registration for current bus riders will end on May 14 with open registration beginning on May 15.

Currently, Mt. Bethel provides service to and from the Smyrna/Mableton and Sandy Springs/Dunwoody areas. In addition, there is an intercampus shuttle between our Main Campus (JK-8th grades) and our North Campus (9th-12th grades). All pick-up/drop-off times are initial estimates. Times are subject to change as may be necessary once service begins . Please plan to turn in your registrations during this time period as some routes could possibly fill up. The locations with pick-up/drop-off times are below:
SMYRNA/MABLETON location:
Smyrna First United Methodist Church
1315 Concord Road, SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
Pick-up: 7:25 a.m.
Returns: 3:45 p.m.

SANDY SPRINGS/DUNWOODY location(s):
Stop #1: Big Lots (7300 Roswell Road @ Dalrymple)
Pick-up: 7:15 a.m.
Returns: 3:30 p.m.

Stop #2: LA Fitness (6690 Roswell Road @ Abernathy)
Pick-up: 7:20 a.m.
Returns: 3:35 p.m.

INTERCAMPUS shuttle:
Leaving Main Campus (JK-8th) for North Campus (9th-12th)
Pick-up: 7:45 a.m.
Returns: 4:00 p.m.

Leaving North Campus (9th-12th) for Main Campus (JK-8th)
Pick-up: 7:15 a.m.
Returns: 3:40 p.m.

Studio 7 Photos

Spring Pictures Available

The spring photos from Studio 7 Photography are available! For those that would like to view or order online, link here. Proofs and order forms will also be available for those that prefer to pay cash or write a check. Order forms along with cash or check payments, will need to be turned in at the reception desk.

Schoolkidz

Order School Supplies for Next School Year

Check one of those summer chores off your list before summer even starts! Y our child received a flyer with information about ordering their school supplies for next year. This 8th grade fundraiser enables you to order supplies now and have them waiting in your classroom next fall.

Again this year, orders can only be placed online. The online portal is open and the deadline for ordering school supply kits and other items is May 26, 2017 .

To order your kit(s) online, please follow these simple steps:

1. Go to www.shopttkits.com

2. Enter the school's account number - 10934

3. Choose the appropriate grade level kit - Remember to choose the grade your child will be entering in the fall

4. Enter your student's first & last name

5. Add to cart, confirm your order & check out

6. Pick up your school supply kits at MBCA's Meet & Greet in August, in your student's classroom

Important note: You do not need to sign in or create an account when you check out. You may check out without an account by entering your email address only. Questions? Please contact Samantha Faklaris or Neeahtima Dowdy.

MBCA Bus Service

Looking for Drivers

The MBCA bus program is seeking drivers for the 2017-2018 school year. Candidates would need to take and pass a CDL license examination which will be paid for by MBCA. The position is mornings and afternoons everyday that school is in session.

If you would, or know of someone who would, like to work a few hours a day, please contact Denise Azar, Bus Program Coordinator. This is a great position for a retired person or anyone who would like to work a few hours a day. No summers or school holidays!

Library News

Main Campus

The library will be closing for the school year this Wednesday, May 10 in order to conduct the end of the school year inventory.

Students will need to return all library books by Tuesday, May 9, which will also be the last day of classes in the library.

Friday Morning Breakfast

At the Main Campus
Come early and join your classmates for breakfast on Friday mornings at 7:30 a.m. The last Friday they wlll be selling breakfast for the 2016-2017 school year, will be May 19.

$3 - Chick-fil-A Biscuits
$3 - Chick-fil-A Minis box
$1 - Donuts
$3 - Gluten Free Option

Chick-fil-A Breakfast

At the North Campus

The Upper School will be selling Chick-fil-A biscuits at the North Campus on Friday mornings from 7:30 – 8:10 a.m., until Friday, May 12 . All profits go toward the Upper School mission trips.

$3 - Chick-fil-A Biscuits

Volunteer Opportunities

Middle School Field Day

Volunteers Needed!

Wednesday, May 24

The 2017 Middle School Field Day will be held on Wednesday, May 24 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm. on the North Campus. We are in need of several parent volunteers to help with games and activities. Please contact Daryl Brooks with any questions. Please sign up here!

Class News

Jr. Kindergarten

"This Little Light of Mine"

Ms. Haynes' JK class sang “This Little Light of Mine" in chapel this week. They did such a great job. We love seeing our little ones so comfortable up on stage!

Second Grade

Emma Walstad, Head of School for the Day

Emma Walstad was MBCA's honorary Head of School for the Day on Tuesday, May 2. Miss. Walstad's morning started with accompanying Mr. Callis to the LS Chapel service, followed by a busy morning of meetings. She met with our Technology Director, Mr. Barber, and then made her way over to the CAC to meet with our Athletic Director, Coach Kaiser. Then she was off to read to Mrs. Johnson's kindergarten class! Thank you, Miss. Walstad, for serving our school!

"Egg-citement in Second Grade

Second grade rs “hatched” with “egg-citement” as they welcomed several new class members to their flock. Over the last several weeks, students watched and waited anxiously for baby chicks to arrive. As the incubators carefully warmed and turned the chicken eggs, students participated in a variety of lessons to learn about life cycles and to witness God’s presence in a new way. As students celebrate this season of spring, we pray they will be reminded of God’s love and develop a deeper understanding of God’s presence.

Fourth Grade

Mini Golf & Pizza

Fourth grade auction winners and friends enjoyed miniature golf and pizza after school this week with Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Chiang and Mrs. Smallwood. We had a great time together and we are so thankful to the parents for their support of our school!

Middle School

Awards Chapel

This past week at the Middle School Awards Chapel, MBCA recognized MS students who excelled in their core classes, world languages, fine arts, physical education, technology, and service.

Congratulations to our students and for the hard work they have put in all year long. Link to view the list of our MS award recipients. Check out our Facebook and Schoology pages to see photos from the ceremony.

Duke TIP

Last September, the Eagle Eye proudly announced that approximately 60% of our 7th grade students qualified for and were invited to participate in the Duke University Talent Identification Program, also known as Duke TIP. Students identified for this program scored at or above the 95th percentile on specific subtests within their standardized achievement test over the past two years.

If students chose to enroll in the Duke TIP program, they were given the opportunity to take either the SAT or ACT college entrance exam. Of this year’s group of 7th graders who elected to sit for these exams, seven students received state recognition by scoring at or above the national average of recent high school graduates on at least one part of the SAT or ACT. These top scoring students were invited to a special ceremony held by the organization and were also honored with a certificate of merit at our MS awards chapel on May 4. Congrats to all of our 2016 -’17 Duke TIP qualifying students! Link here for a complete list.

Night of Worship

What an amazing Night of Worship on the National Day of Prayer! Worshipping our Lord together was such a beautiful glimpse of heaven. Mr. Barber challenged us with a message of God's love! "What does love require of you today?"

Upper School

First Ever US Band Concert
Wednesday, May 3 at 6:30 p.m., I had the privilege of conducting a wonderful bunch of students in the first ever Upper School band concert. The band members all played amazingly well on a variety of tunes ranging from rock n’ roll with Don’t Stop Believin’ from Journey, to a few jazz band classics like, “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) from Duke Ellington, to some old 50’s tunes like "Rock Around the Clock" and "On Broadway". Your hard work and dedication in and out of the classroom really showed in your performance and you should be proud of all you have accomplished this year. I would like to say thank you to all the students involved with the band program this year. You have all done an amazing job and have established a great foundation on which to build a bigger and better program next year. Thank you to Mr. Bob Montague and Mr. Jim Callis for your continued support of our instrumental fine arts program at the Upper School. Finally, I would like to say thank you to all the parents in attendance Wednesday. It has been an honor to instruct your children this year and I look forward to what next year will bring.

Sincerely,

Mr. Greg Roman

Sports

Upper School

Baseball

The Varsity baseball team hosted Nathanael Greene Academy in the first round of the state playoffs Friday, April 28 at East Cobb Baseball Complex. The Eagles jumped out to an early lead and took the first game 11 - 1 in 5 innings. DJ Radtke pitched a complete game, getting the win. The second game was much like the first. The Eagles jumped out to an early lead scoring 12 runs in the second inning alone. The final score was 15 - 0. Austyn Wright pitched a complete game and received the win as well. The Eagles are 12 - 4 on the season.

Middle School

Soccer

The boys' team was finally able to close out the season on a high note as they played host to Lafayette Christian on Friday, April 28. This was a great match up for the GICAA championship game that began with each team scoring a goal in the first three minutes of the game. The teams were locked at two goals a piece for a large portion of the match. Edward Rendle tacked on the third goal, and a fourth came from Andrew O’Connor before Lafayette added a third. One more goal came from O’Connor to seal the deal as the boys' won the game 5 - 3. Congratulations to the boys' soccer team and Coach Montgomery on a championship season for MBCA!

Girls' soccer hosted the GICAA finals against a quality opponent, Trinity Christian - Sharpsburg on May 2. The game began tight with no score for the majority of the first half. Two goals came before halftime from Emma Seaborn and Hannah Faklaris. The girls added three more goals in the second half (Hannah Faklaris, Madison Contrucci - 2) with a beautiful assist play from Emma Seaborn. They gave up just one goal, for a final score of 5 - 1. Congratulations to the Lady Eagles and Coach Quiza for another outstanding season!

Tennis

Tennis travelled to a neutral GICAA host site at the Clayton County Tennis Center for the GICAA championship tournament. It was a perfect day for tennis, and all of our line players competed extremely well through their bracket play. Final results yielded a GICAA championship for the boys and a runner-up placement for the ladies. Congratulations to all the MS tennis players and Coach Zabor for a fantastic finish to the the 2017 season!

We had an awesome first (full) year in the GICAA at the MS level, which included the following championships.

2016-2017 GICAA Champions

Volleyball (A team): Coach Brian Bergius

Boys Cross Country: Coaches Greg Hall, Laura Quiza, and Ally Greene

Girls Cross Country: Coaches Greg Hall, Laura Quiza, and Ally Greene

Boys Swimming: Coach Sherry Morgan

Girls Basketball (A team): Coaches Melissa Sneed-McCard and Laura Quiza

Boys Soccer: Coach Jim Montgomery

Girls Soccer: Coaches Jose and Laura Quiza

Boys Tennis: Coaches Rick Zabor and Sherry Morgan

Congratulations again to all of our student athletes and coaches!

The Uniform Source

May 20% Off Sale

Join the Uniform Source during the month of May for their 20% off sale! They are offering 20% off any regularly priced school uniform items. The offer is available in stores and online. To take advantage of this sale, visit The Uniform Source.

Don't miss out on your chance to save.

Camps

Coach Vanderpol's Spring Volleyball Clinic

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Coach Vanderpol is offering a volleyball clinic to all rising 4th-12th grade girls at the Main Campus on May 20. Camp guest include: D1 and D2 college players, high school coaches and club coaches.

Rising 4th-7th Grade 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. $35

Rising 8th-12th Grade 1 - 4 p.m. $40

*price includes T-shirt

American Girl Camp

June 12 - 16, 2017

Don't miss out on the 6th Annual AG Camp! Join Mrs. Black and Mrs. Sheffield for 5 days of fashion shows, tea parties, crafts, pitball and more. Click here to register and for more details.

Art Camp

June 12 - 16, 2017

Come join Mrs. Cardell for drawing and painting classes focusing on landscape, portrait and abstract paintings, as well as sketching and drawing techniques. Deadline for registration is May 15, 2017. View the flyer for the registration form and more details.

Creative Writing Camp

June 19 - 22, 2017

Creative Writing Camp is full! If you’d like to be added to the wait list, please fill out the attached form and send it in to Mrs. Kelly’s attention. Do not attach payment at this time; she will notify you if a space opens up by June 1 .

Disney Camp

June 19 - 23, 2017

We are so excited to be offering our Disney Camp again this summer! This camp is open to rising Kindergarten - 3rd grade girls. It is a day full of fun, devotions, crafts, games, and snacks! You won’t want to miss it! Link here for the registration form.

Coach Cal Fundamental Basketball Camp

July 24 - 27, 2017

Coach Cal Boyd, the Varsity boys basketball coach, along with several of his varsity players will be hosting his basketball camp on the Upper School campus July 24 - 27 for ages 7 - 14. Campers will learn ball handling, footwork, defensive concepts and each camper will shoot and record over 1,000 shots. Come be a part of an exciting camp and learn more about the game of basketball and the game of life! For more info, link for the camp flyer. Please click on the link to register your child.

MBUMC News

FCA Pancake Breakfast

May 9 & 11

Outside the CAC

Calling all MBCA FCA students! Save the date for the last FCA breakfast of the year. FCA would like to close the year with a pancake breakfast for our Middle School on Tuesday, May 9 at 7:15 a.m. and 4th & 5th grade on Thursday, May 11 at 7:15 a.m. Be sure to mark your calendars so that you don't miss out on the pancake fun!

Parents, if you would like to help with providing items, link here to see what items are needed for both events. Thank you in advance for your help; without your help and your support these events would not be possible.

Vacation Bible School

June 5 - 8, 2017

Register now for Vacation Bible School, June 5 - 8, 2017. Ages 4 (turning 4 by 9/1/2017) through Rising 4th graders meet from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. at the Main Campus. Cost is $30 before May 16. Rising 5th and 6th graders meet from 11:30 - 4:30 p.m. at the North Campus (lunch and swimming included). Cost is $50 before May 16 or until full, but space is limited so hurry!

For more information or to register, go to www.mtbethel.org/vbs.