Dear PCA Families, Faculty & Staff, Alumni, Grandparents, and Friends,
This week was a very special week at the Upper School as we celebrated "International Week." Our students come from not only 50 plus towns in the tri-state Seacoast area but also from around the world. Some of our students are here with their families; some of our students are here living with American families; and some of our students have close relatives living in other countries. This generation of students will increasingly be visiting and interacting with people from other countries as they grow, take up careers, and raise their own families. The stories of our international students are compelling and encouraging. Consider just two.
Tommy, one of our sophomore international students from China, has developed his faith, friendships, and interests during his time at PCA. You can read Tommy' story, originally in English and translated to his native language in Mandarin Chinese HERE. Tommy said, "If I didn't come here, first of all, and probably the biggest, I would not be a Christian. Because I didn't know about God before I came here. But we had Bible classes and I started knowing about God."
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Another one of our international students, Evie, arrived at PCA as a freshman. Evie said, "I really appreciate everything the teachers have done for me, and I'm thankful for my friends who supported me. And [PCA] is a really loving family...I met my best friends here, and I have met lovely teachers." Read more of Evie's story HERE.
UPPER SCHOOL CONCERT & LOWER SCHOOL SPEECH MEETS
PCA's 7th through 12th grade students showed incredible talents in the last few days. Our Upper School Music Department persevered and hosted the Christmas Concert. Our Junior High Speech Meet finalists presented their speeches to parents, students, and teachers of the Junior High department, and Ava Buchanan was recognized as this year's winner out of an incredibly talented field of presenters. READ MORE in PCA's blog.
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This week, we wrapped up preferred re-enrollment, and over 8 of your 10 closest friends at PCA have said they are coming back next year! We are hoping that the rest of the friends can come back, too! Our 82% return rate is an all-time recent high at this time of the school year, and we are busily making plans for next year together.
In preparation for next year, we ask you complete PCA's MID-YEAR FEEDBACK SURVEY. Please submit one for each child; it will take about 10 minutes to finish. Your inputs will help shape our efforts next year. The survey will remain open for two weeks, and we will update you on the survey in mid-to-late March.
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HEALTH HIGHLIGHTS
As the data below shows, and what we are seeing more broadly, is that COVID 's 2nd wave is on the rapid decline. That is great news! Every category that I am seeing is heading quickly in the right direction, with average weekly cases and fatalities in New Hampshire returning to where we were before Thanksgiving. Please join me for a Health Update Town Hall this coming Wednesday at 6PM; link is HERE.
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2,698 additional health screening submitted within the past week (51,809 to date)
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7 additional people answered "Yes" to possible symptoms in the past week
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0 additional people answered "Yes" to travel outside New England in the past week
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0 additional answers of "Yes" to potential or confirmed exposure to COVID in the past week
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0 positive COVID tests reported in the past week in the PCA community (41 known to date)
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COVID has limited our ability this year to engage with our community through our usual in-person events, so we ask for your help building up PCA’s presence in the local community. Please consider nominating PCA in the "Best of NH" before March 12 so we might build awareness for our mission to serve the Seacoast through Christian education! Though there is not a specific field for schools, this year's ballot includes a special field to nominate businesses that went above and beyond to serve customers through the challenges posed by COVID-19 (The ballot is a bit long, but only needs to be filled out once, and most fields are not required-- special attention to fields #65 and #119)
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HOPE HIGHLIGHTS
Acts 1:8 captures a key part of our International Week celebration. In the verse, Jesus addresses the disciples after His resurrection but before His ascension: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
We seek to live this out faithfully and well at PCA, equipping each student to grow and thrive and be witnesses in the Seacoast, in all of New England and the United States, and even to the ends of the earth (and possibly into space in the near future). I don't know about you, but that is fun to think about.
Together with you in Christ,
Mike Runey
Head of School
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PCA Volunteers Win Blue Ribbon Award
Portsmouth Christian Academy volunteers have done it again! Each year, PCA has been awarded the New Hampshire Partners in Education Blue Ribbon Award for a successful and effective school volunteer program and, again, they have been awarded for the 2019-20 school year. But this time, it is very important to us that we recognize the Blue Ribbon recipients this year in particular. It is evident that the spirit of community and togetherness has not been lost, even during a pandemic. Your efforts to continue to lift the needs of our school above your own and to focus your energy on supporting children for learning on any platform are unsurpassed. We honor and celebrate you. As a community, PCA reflects on last year with amazement at the monumental hours of volunteering and partnering with us. Our current reality just could not have been predicted and certainly could not have been successful without the incredible support of our community members. Thank you!
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Please join our Volunteer Facebook page to stay informed on current volunteer opportunities!
Current Opportunities
- Classroom assistance
- Winter Carnival
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Did you know you can improve your remote learning experience by downloading and installing the Microsoft Teams app on your PC or device?
Our experience has shown the app provides a much better experience to the student than the browser based version which many are using. The app is available for most major platforms at the link below:
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Now through April
For the next several Saturdays, Restoration Church will be providing boxes of food to families in need. If your family would like to volunteer to help distribute boxes, please contact Scott Roy; Upper School students can earn Service Hours for the time they spend helping. The address is 80 Rutland Street, Dover, NH, and distribution will begin at 11:00 am. Please share this information with people in need who may benefit from this program. |
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Submit your weekly total minutes HERE every Friday and keep on reading!
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Registration Deadline:
Tuesday, February 16 at 11:59 pm
March Before and Aftercare registration is open. CLICK HERE for more information.
Note: Thursday, March 25 is an Early Dismissal Day.
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Tuesday, February 16 at 5:00 pm
PCA parents and employees are welcome to join us for our next Academic Review Town Hall; the focus will be on the Upper School's 1st semester grades and programs. The ZOOM link is HERE and a meeting invitation will be emailed to those invited early next week. |
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Wednesday, February 17 at 6:00 pm
PCA parents and employees are welcome to join us for our latest Town Hall Health Update. We will discuss current health & safety protocols, with a focus on the upcoming Winter Vacation. The ZOOM link is HERE and a meeting invitation will be emailed to those invited early next week. |
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Friday, February 19 from 4:00-6:00 pm
Note:
Weather Back-Up Date is Friday, March 5
Come join us for a time of toboggan races, snowman building, a bonfire, hot cocoa & cookies and, most of all, a time of laughter and fun before the upcoming Winter Vacation! Please contact Kathy Towle with questions. |
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February 20 through February 28
The PCA campus will be closed during the last week of February for Winter Vacation. Enjoy this special time off with your family!
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College Board is hosting virtual events for high school students to connect directly with college admissions representatives and take action on the most important steps for college. This is intended for high school juniors and sophomores. The dates are based on the region of schools you wish to explore. CLICK HERE for more information and to register.
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Share Your HeART: Giving, Caring, Sharing
Submission Deadline:
Friday, March 5 at 4:00 pm
All PCA students, parents, grandparents, employees, and alumni are welcome to submit an art piece for this year's Annual Auction Juried Art Contest! Our art contest raises thousands of dollars each year for our Variable Tuition program. CLICK HERE to download a registration form. The upcoming Winter Vacation is a great time to work on your masterpiece! Please contact Susie Stevens with questions.
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Order Deadline:
Sunday, March 7 at 11:59 pm
The spring athletic season is right around the corner! From shirts to sweatshirts to hats and pants, show your school spirit by wearing PCA apparel. Ordered items will be delivered to PCA approximately three months after placing your order. Contact Erin Kniphfer with questions.
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Thursday, March 11 at 6:30 pm
This is a presentation by the Center for College Planning (NH) that will be offered here at PCA. This session is intended to educate the student and family about the college admission process. Students and parents of juniors and sophomores are strongly encouraged to attend. READ MORE.
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Thursday, March 18 at 6:30 pm
If you have a student heading off to college as a freshman for Fall 2021, this presentation is for you! We encourage you to bring your student's award packages with you. Components of the financial aid award package, including federal student loans, grants, and scholarships will be discussed along with how to analyze what your student was offered. Sample award letters will be provided if you have not received an award letter yet. Contact Tara Hatfield (ext. 153) with questions.
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Saturday, March 20
from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Register HERE for the upcoming free Destination College workshops and virtual college fair. This event is for high school juniors and their parents/guardians. Contact Tara Hatfield (ext. 153) with questions. |
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Order Deadline: Sunday, March 21
Don't miss the opportunity to purchase this important keepsake of your child's school year! Order your child's copy for $35 HERE. Please contact Daphne Corso (ext. 127) with questions. |
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Wednesday, March 24
Next month, our four-year old PCAP students will be participating in the school's beloved, annual Kapok Tree presentation. The "critters" will take their parents and grandparents on a special journey through PCAP's very own rain forest and will tell the importance of protecting those forests. The presentation is based on Lynne Cherry's book "Kapok Tree." More info will be coming soon. Please contact Harlee Tuttle(ext. 113) with questions. |
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A special "Thank You" to three of our Legacy Sponsors who have helped make it possible to underwrite expenses and ensure the highest possible benefit will go to families who otherwise could not afford PCA!
If you would like to learn more about how to become a PCA Legacy Sponsor CLICK HERE
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Happening in just 5 weeks!
Saturday, March 20, 2021
Hurry! Limited availability to enjoy a delicious breakfast delivered to your door! Click the image to read more. Be sure to mark your calendar and join us during this year's Annual Auction. Similar to last year, our Annual Auction will be held online again; it will not be an academic day, and students will not be on campus. LEARN MORE about the event including how to donate, how to bid, and more.
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New positions have been recently added.
For a list of all of our current employment opportunities or to download an application, CLICK HERE.
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Portsmouth Christian Academy | 603.742.3617 | pcaschool.org |
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