Greetings families,
I hope this email finds you and your families in good spirits.
As the sun is beginning to set on this school year, our eyes as a community are looking ahead to the horizon. We recognize at the end of this quarter that our families will effectively be taking one of two roads. Though we will always carry ATE with us in our hearts and share an identity as Athenians, this quarter will mark the end of a special phase we have all cherished. Today, I would like to share how we plan to close out this year, how we will commemorate this special time, and how we will keep every family informed with the details they need to be prepared for the next phase.
First, in every respect, we want to finish strong! Every minute of our scholars’ time is precious, and we will continue to keep our eyes fixed on our primary goal — to nourish and nurture the hearts of our children every single day. Whether it is school procedures, classroom expectations, student culture, or instructional expertise, we will continue to strive for excellence in every area of our academy. At the end of a race, we are called to dig deeper, to press forward harder, and to give it our all! Please join us in this rallying cry as you encourage and support your children at home.
Second, we are reviving and maintaining many of the traditions that we know have been a part of our community, including many of those that had to be revised due to the challenges of the pandemic. Below is a list of our 4th quarter events so that you can mark your calendars. Some of these are simply a recap of events that have already taken place this quarter, so you can see all of the great ways our community is pulling together!
Reading Under the Stars
This was a wonderfully well attended and joyful event that our PSO introduced to our community. It was lovely to see our families engaged in leisurely reading, and to see our students alternating between listening to great literature read by teachers and running around the field with glow sticks! It was a beautiful spring event that brought our community together to celebrate our shared love of reading.
The Bard Competition
Last night we held the final round of the ATE Bard Competition! 8 finalists shared their hard work, demonstrated their recitation skills, and immersed the audience in a beautiful selection of classic poetry. We are pleased to announce that our 5th grade winner, Isaac Mendez, has been crowned as the ATE Bard! If you would like to cheer him on in the Great Hearts Final Round, it will be held at the Maryvale Campus on the evening of April 26! Look in the Echo for details on times.
Shared Experiences & Field Trips
Our students are continuing to take their learning outside of these walls by participating in their spring field trips! Just today, Kindergarteners romped and played at The Children’s Museum, 1st graders learned about the majesty and diversity of the animal kingdom at the Wildlife World Zoo, and our 2nd and 5th graders shared an experience by “buddying up” with one another to learn about exciting creatures from the riveting “Wild Man Phil.”
The Art Walk – Wednesday, May 4
We are pleased to share that we will hold an in-person Art Walk on the evening of Wednesday, March 4th! This is an opportunity to see the beautiful work our students have created this year. Though we are unable to continue with the auction portion of this event, we are thrilled to invite our families into the school to celebrate our scholar’s works of art!
Spring Concerts – Monday, May 9 (K-2) and Thursday, May 12 (3-5)
We are thankful to announce that our Spring concerts will once again be held at King of Kings, as we have done in years past. It is a beautiful venue, with incredible acoustics, and we know the aesthetic and atmosphere will complement the wonderful songs our students will be sharing with you!
5th Grade Promotion – Tuesday, May 24 at 6pm
The accomplishment of our 5th Graders will be commemorated on the evening before the last day of school. Students will be acknowledged for completing the Archway program and we will celebrate their hard work! This event will be held at Archway Trivium East. The following morning, on the last day of school, we will be holding our Annual 5th Grade Breakfast! 5th grade families will receive an independent email with more information.
The Archway Trivium East Closing Ceremonies – Wednesday, May 25 at 6pm
All families are invited to our final event at Archway Trivium East. Together, we will commemorate our last seven years together, bid farewell to this wonderful campus, and recite the Athenian Pledge together, one last time, as one community. This will be held on our field on the evening of the last day of school.
Finally, we know that every one of you wants to be informed of the developments as you transition either to Archway Roosevelt or Archway Trivium. For communication purposes, we will continue the Athenian Echo through the remainder of the school year for all families. The content will be focused on this school year and finishing well together. Now that re-enrollment is coming to a close, after today, we will remove the “Roosevelt Review” section of the Athenian Echo, and begin sending a separate newsletter to all families who are registered to join us at Archway Roosevelt. This way, everyone can focus on the information that is relevant to you as a family.
Our first unique Archway Roosevelt event is April 28 at 6pm at Summit Community Church. We will be holding a New Parent Orientation for all new Roosevelt families – both those returning from ATE and those who are new to our community. Please look for more information next week, but for now, we ask that you save the date for this event!
Much more can and will be said to pay homage to what ATE means for us all and how to commemorate our final quarter together. For now, we hope you join us for as many events as you can, stay in touch with us about what questions you have, and hold fast to why we all came together in the first place – to immerse your children in an enriching, loving, and beautiful community.
Thank you, and as always, please reach out to me with any questions you have.
With Devotion,
Stephen Philabaum
Headmaster
