August 20, 2021
GreatHearts Arlington
Weekly Newsletter
Cultivating hearts and minds through the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty
Arlington Community,

The Year of Adventure is officially upon us! 

Last week we opened the doors to our bright eyed scholars, and our teachers welcomed them into the sacred spaces of their classrooms. Through socratic discussions and seminars, through burgeoning relationships between new classmates and teachers, our scholars have begun to settle into their intentional classroom routines and have experienced a foretaste of the rigor of a classical school curriculum. Even during these inaugural days of their Great Hearts education, their hearts and minds have been gently pried open to visions of a flourishing life by the loving hands of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

In John O’Donohue’s poem, “For a New Beginning,” he closes his benediction with this:

Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.”

The spirit of our scholars are being awakened to the journey that lies ahead of them. A new world awaits them with each step they take along this path they now trod, and we will be right there with them -- creating spaces for them to risk, so they hold nothing back as they grow in wisdom and truth. 

And let me tell you. 

I can’t wait to see who they become. 

With joy,

Justin McGee
Middle School Dean
Campus Announcements
Please leave a message on the attendance line or email attendance@greatheartsarlington.org if your child is going to be absent from school.
Student Home Screen

Please remember to screen your students at home before sending to school, using the following guidelines (here).
Pick Up and Drop Off

Please be advised that students may not be dropped off in the morning prior to 7:15am. These students cannot be monitored, so it is a safety concern. Also, we will do our best to accommodate all requests at the front desk but ask that you withhold from requests during the window of 3:00pm-4:00pm as we are dismissing students from their classes.
Dress Code

Continue to do your utmost to adhere to our uniform guidelines (link). We will be diligent to support our young scholars in adhering as well. For students that are in uniform, but it is the wrong uniform (ie. Khaki shorts in the lower school, navy polos in the lower school, light blue polos in the middle school), Dennis and Flynn O’Hara should allow you to switch out these incorrect uniforms. Otherwise, be diligent about getting the correct uniform when your scholar sizes up. Students will not be penalized for being in uniform albeit it the wrong uniform (color).
Breakfast

Breakfast is served from 7:15am-7:45am. If your child needs to eat a school breakfast, please be sure to get them to school with enough time to eat and arrive to their classroom by 7:45am. Students should go directly to the multipurpose room when dropped off if they need a school breakfast.
 
Upcoming Events

August 20
Early Release Friday
 7:45am- 1:30pm

August 27
SPIRIT DAY!
Students may wear any GH branded clothing with their uniform bottom.
Early Release Friday
 7:45am- 1:30pm

September 6
Labor Day
SCHOOL CLOSED

September 10
Full Day Friday
7:45am- 3:30pm

Community Investment

Thank you for donating to our school! We couldn't do it without your support.

Community Investment is the parent support that keeps our school running! It supports teacher pay, our beautiful facility, and so much more. If you filled out a pledge or monthly gift on your enrollment, those gifts will begin this month. If you would like to support the academy at $100 per month, per scholar, now is the time! 
 
Gifts run July-June 2022. If you are interested in making a one-time gift or setting up a monthly recurring gift, in any amount for the 21-22 school year, you can do so here! 
 
For any and all questions concerning Community Investment, please reach out to Rosa Curiel, our Director of Community Engagement/Academy Giving at rosa.tovar-curiel@greatheartsarlington.org or 817-260-0890 ext. 155.

Meet Our Staff
CharLea Polk
3rd Grade Lead Teacher

 
CharLea Polk is a Colorado native joining our 3rd grade team at Great Hearts Arlington. For the last four years, she has been a mentor with a college readiness program for students in high school and 1st year college attendees. Ms. Polk has also been an integral part of before and after school programs for grades K-5. This will be her first year of teaching, and she is extremely grateful to have landed in such a collaborative and rich learning environment. 

Ms. Polk is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, holding a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy with a focus on Classical and Religious studies. During her extended studies she discovered a passion for the education of youth, as she herself gained a great deal of knowledge from mentors during her schooling.

She is excited to relocate to Texas and join our community. Giving back to her community was a priority as she focused on the education and wellbeing of youth around Colorado Springs. 

Cheryl Barron
3rd Grade Apprentice
Teacher

Hello! My name is Cheryl Barron. I am delighted to be joining the staff as a 3rd grade Apprentice Teacher and becoming immersed in the classical curriculum of Great Hearts Arlington. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Texas at Tyler and have several years of elementary teaching experience. 
 
I grew up in Louisiana but left that behind many years ago when I joined my native Texan husband here in Texas. We have enjoyed living and working in the City of Arlington for the past 8 years. We like being connected to our church here, watching the Texas Ranger baseball games, the Levitt Pavilion outdoor concerts, and I like riding in the golf cart while he golfs! I love anything outdoors, including nature walks and gardening. I am inspired by good books and enjoy meeting often with a group of friends to do a book study. People and books are my passion!

I look forward to sharing that with the families of Great Hearts Arlington.

6701 S. Cooper Street, Arlington, TX 76001 | 817.260.0890 | www.GreatHeartsArlington.org