July 22, 2021

GREETINGS FROM SPARTAN LANE Twenty-five more days of summer vacation! It may not seem like it, but each of you still has plenty of time to reflect, recharge and get energized for the school year ahead. It will be an awesome school year on Spartan Lane, and we are excited to welcome everyone back to share our progress and our new colleagues with you. We are fortunate to add several new faces to our very talented faculty and staff, including six lead teachers. We have new colleagues coming from Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, and across Georgia, and all of them are excited to join us at Athens Academy. We had a great deal of interest in our openings and are very pleased with our newest Spartans.  Our guidelines for the upcoming school year were shared earlier in the month, and we wanted to be sure that everyone had a chance to get comfortable with our plans. You can find them here, and please know that we are not taking this lightly. One of the primary reasons for our success has been the trust that we share with one another. This will continue to be critical going forward and we appreciate your partnership. We have a very high vaccination rate among our colleagues, and we will be surveying to learn more about our students 12 and older. Please continue to communicate with us, stay home when not feeling well, and remain vigilant as the delta variant and others merit our full attention. We will continue to speak to the local healthcare community and make appropriate decisions for our school community on a regular basis. Read more.

GUIDANCE & PLANNING FOR THE START OF SCHOOL Please click here to read the Guidance & Planning document regarding the start of school this fall (updated July 20, 2021).

NEW FACULTY & STAFF 2021-22 Please click here to learn more about our new faculty and staff members for the upcoming school year!

ALL IN FOR ACAD! With your help, we can be "All in for ACAD" and reach our goal of 1,000 donors! We're so close, and your gift of any size to the Annual Excellence Fund by July 31 will make a difference for our students and faculty! Click here to make a gift online or contact the Development Office at 706-549-9225. Thank you!

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

VIRTUAL SCHOOL BOOKSTORE NOW OPEN We are pleased to provide parents and students in grades 7-12 the opportunity to purchase all of your textbooks through the Follett Virtual Bookstore. Although we partner with Follett, you are not required to purchase your textbooks through them. Please know that if you choose not purchase your textbooks through Follett, we cannot provide assistance with respect to late textbook changes, returns, and exchanges as well as textbook return/buyback at the end of the school year. If you have any questions concerning your schedule contact your division office. For any questions on purchasing books, please email Joseph Whitaker.

SUMMER LEARNING WEBSITE (rising K3-12) REQUIRED & CHOICE SUMMER LEARNING INFORMATION The Summer Learning website includes assignments and recommendations for each grade level. Questions? Contact your child's division office directly. BACK-TO-SCHOOL DATES TO REMEMBER The 2021-22 school year will be here before we know it, so you may want to go ahead and mark your calendar for some of these important back-to-school events. Questions? Contact your child's division office directly. Have great summer and we'll see you in August! EXTENDED DAY UPDATE FOR 2021-22 (GRADES K3-8) Click here for more information and registration link for the Extended Day program for students in grades K3-8. Questions? Email Michele Knapp. SCHOOL STORE SUMMER HOURS The School Store will be open the following dates and times for the remainder of this summer: August 4: 10 AM-1 PM August 10-August 13: 9 AM-2 PM Regular school hours beginning August 17 (8 AM-4PM) REGISTER FOR BUS SERVICE Click here for routes, pricing, and registration for bus service for the 2021-2022 school year. Questions? Email Judy Owens or call the Facilities Management office at 706.433.2542. Thank you! SENIOR PORTRAIT INFORMATION (CLASS OF 2022) Athens Academy uses Bentley Photography exclusively for all senior drape/tuxedo yearbook photos. As a courtesy to our families, we are offering rising seniors the option to schedule a brief on-campus photo session this summer in the Chambers Center boardroom. Times are available on Monday, August 2, and Thursday, August 12. Click here to register for an on-campus photo appointment. The on-campus sitting fee is $35 and can be paid by cash, check, or credit card. Families may also opt to schedule a photo session at the Bentley Photography Studio in Winder (770-867-2853, bentleyseniors@gmail.com). If you have any questions, please contact Bentley Photography directly.

SPARTAN FALL SPORTS SHOPPING YARD SIGNS, RESERVED PARKING, TICKET INFORMATION The athletic department is excited about the upcoming school and athletic year. We are also pleased to announce, at this time, spectator attendance at Spartan home contests will not be limited, so we look forward to seeing Spartans of all ages cheering at cross country meets, football games, and volleyball matches! We will continue to use GoFan for all home ticketing, however, we’re also pleased to announce current Athens Academy students will not be charged an admission fee for any home regular season contest. Faculty will continue to be admitted without charge as well. Sport-Specific Yard Signs & Reserved Parking for Home Varsity Football Games Athens Academy GoFan page All Sport Pass - $107 - admission to ALL home regular season athletic contests throughout the school year Volleyball Season Pass - MS $20.90; JV/Varsity $33.50 Football Season Pass - MS 7/8 Grade $18.80; Varsity $44.00  Please take note of deadlines and contact the athletic department with any questions at 706.354.3815.

UPCOMING EVENTS Class of 2022 Senior Portraits - Monday, August 2 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. in the Chambers Center Boardroom Uniform Resale - Wednesday, August 4 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the Chambers Center Lower Level New Student Orientation, Grades 9-12 - Wednesday, August 11 from 2:30-4:00 p.m. in the Myers Gallery Ninth Grade Orientation - Wednesday, August 11 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the Bertelsmann Presentation Hall Class of 2022 Senior Portraits - Thursday, August 12 from 9:00 a.m.-4:20 p.m. in the Chambers Center Boardroom Lower & Middle School New Family Welcome, Grades 1-8 - Friday, August 13 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. in the Harrison Performance Hall Preschool Parent Morning - Friday, August 13 from 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. in the Harrison Performance Hall Back-to-School Drop-In, Grades 1-8 - Friday, August 13 from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Preschool Playground Parties - Saturday, August 14 (Pre-first, 9:00 a.m.; K4, 9:45 a.m.; K3, 10:30 a.m.) First Day of School - Tuesday, August 17 Lower School Parent Afternoon (parents only) - Sunday, August 22 from 1:00-2:15 p.m. in the Harrison Performance Hall Middle School Parent Afternoon (parents only) - Sunday, August 22 from 2:30-4:15 p.m. in the Bertelsmann Presentation Hall Upper School Parent Evening (parents only) - Monday, August 30 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Bertelsmann Presentation Hall

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS Update on immunization requirements for rising 11th grade students (Georgia DPH)

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Athens Academy seeks excellence with honor in the educational and personal experience of each student.