We are officially at the half-month mark of our 2020-21 school year, and we are excited to share with you a Two-Week Update to share the exciting things that we've done and things we've learned (and grown from) so far. Today at noon, we will be holding a Facebook Live event to highlight how PCA has progressed over the past two weeks. We will also be answering any questions that you may have. Part of what we're excited to share is how our teachers and students have combined their excellent skills and innate curiosity with the new technology in the classroom and halfway around the world, literally.

The meeting will be recorded for those of you who are unable to join us today at noon. CLICK HERE to join us live at noon.

Grandparent's Day is a tradition at PCA, typically the last Friday in October. Because we hope to have as many grandparents here on campus as possible, we are delaying the school's celebration until March 2021. Even with the delay, know that PCA joins many around our country in recognizing this Sunday as National Grandparents' Day. We thank you for your support and encouragement to our students, your love for their parents, and your prayers and wisdom.

2020 has brought hard times: pandemic, division, economic uncertainty, and feelings of chaos. But such hard times are not new. One thing that sets Christians and PCA apart is our response to hard times. Consider one PCA family's story: Nineteen years ago, 9/11 struck home particularly hard for the McGuinness family. Jennifer was a 10th grader in her second year at PCA; her younger brother, Tommy, was a new 9th grader, just starting a new school. Their father, Tom McGuinness, flew as a pilot for American Airlines. That Tuesday morning in September, he was second in command of American Flight 11, with 92 souls aboard heading for Los Angeles. Just as his kids were settling into first period classes at PCA, violent men stormed the cockpit and took control of his aircraft. Less than a half hour later, as his kids were in classes here at school, AA Flight 11 struck the World Trade Center.

We can only imagine how hard 9/11 was for the McGuinness family and all the other families who lost their loved ones on that day. For the rest of us, this was a very hard day in many ways, a life-changing day. The coming years would become even harder for us. Yet, despite the violence and tragedy, God was still in all of this. These are not my words--these are Tommy's. That Tommy became an American Airline pilot like his father is remarkable; what is even more remarkable is the legacy Tom left his family, in particular his son. The picture below highlights the two men; pay special attention to the note, written in Tom the father's hand; after 9/11, the family found this note tucked in Tom's bible. See more of Tommy's recounting of the day and how we saw God at work in his life HERE.

This leads us to the question, "How should we respond in hard times?" At PCA, we teach that God is in all time, and that we can seek and find God. Our All-School chapel today, which you can find HERE, highlights our approach. In these hard times, we seek to reach up to God and out to other people, helping, healing, restoring division, learning and understanding. Know we are praying for you, and that we value you as a member of our community--in all times. Our hope and our joy, that enables us to do this, comes from God, not from humans. And still, God calls us to join Him in loving others joyfully and sacrificially. That, my friends, is one of the things that makes PCA different.

Together in His service,

Head of School

PCA is pleased to announce that Lily Kjendal, senior, has been named as a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. Receiving such recognition demonstrates both her outstanding performance and potential. Lily ranking is in the to top 1%, one of 16,000 students out of 1.5 million from 21,000 schools. Lily now has the opportunity to continue in the competition to earn one of 7,600 Merit Scholarship awards worth approximately $30 million combined. A semifinalist must have excellent academic standing, top SAT results, and be among the highest scoring PSAT entrants in each state. Congratulations, Lily!

Please join us in welcoming Summer Heath as our new Volunteer Coordinator! Summer comes to PCA with a background in volunteering, teaching, and finance ; she is also the proud parent of a PCA preschooler (Henley) and a PCA first grader (Regal).

Summer would like to meet all of the new (and tenured) volunteers; please feel free to stop by her office which is located in the back of the Lower School Lobby and introduce yourself! If you have already filled out a volunteer interest form, please reach out to Summer and let her know, again, in which areas of service you are interested. She can be reached at sheath@pcaschool.org or at phone extension 143. We're glad that you are part of the PCA team, Summer!

PCA would also like to thank our prior coordinator, Jodi Karnes, for her many years of dedicated service as Volunteer & Event Coordinator; we are grateful to have Jodi continue in her current role as Kaleidoscope & Summer Program Coordinator. A heart-felt "Thank you" to Jodi!

Lower School Back-to-School Night is now virtual! Each family will receive a Zoom link from their child's homeroom teacher by tomorrow.

6:00 pm: Live sessions for grades k-1

6:30 pm: Live sessions for grade 2

6:00 pm: Live sessions for grades 3-4

6:30 pm: Live sessions for grade 5

6:00 pm: Live sessions for grades 6-7

6:30 pm: Live session for grade 8 (this will include information on the proposed Washington, DC trip)

Please contact Sue McKenney (ext. 112) with questions.

PCA needs to add a third 1st grade homeroom class in order to accommodate the numerous families who are currently on a waiting list for 1st grade. If you have a background in Early Education, please complete a faculty application, which can be found on our website. Please share this with any you know who may be a good fit here at PCA. For a list of all of our current employment opportunities or a job application, CLICK HERE.