While it may not be "sweater weather" quite yet, we have experienced several chilly fall mornings this week. Please remember that to prevent the spread of the virus, we will continue to utilize our four outdoor learning spaces, as well as the playing fields and courts on our campus. Additionally, we plan to keep windows open in classrooms to increase ventilation. Children should come to school prepared to spend significant amounts of time outside. This may mean dressing in layers or bringing cold weather gear to school sooner than they would in another year. Several students were seen with hats and gloves midweek, and others pronounced this a good idea, despite it being the first day of fall!

Please dress for the change in season, and remember that we live in New England. It may feel like winter at 8:00a, and then summer again at 1:30p!

Academy Hill is requesting the cooperation of our families as you send your children to school each morning. The AHS Re-Entry Plan contains a comprehensive list of symptoms to check for each day.

Please create your Parent Portal login by CLICKING HERE. You must register with an email address we have on file. Please use all lower case when creating your portal login. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Kelli Brodhagen.

The single most important thing to do if any of the following symptoms are present is to STAY HOME. Our collective health relies, in part, on individual attention and responsibility. Note that some symptoms of COVID19 are the same as the flu or a bad cold; please do not assume it is another condition. When in doubt, STAY HOME.

Below is the full list of symptoms for which parents should monitor their children, and staff should monitor themselves. If a student or staff presents with these symptoms, they must consult with a healthcare professional before returning to school.

❏ Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills

❏ Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)

❏ Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

❏ New loss of taste or smell

❏ Sore throat

❏ Headache when in combination with other symptoms

❏ Muscle aches or body aches

❏ Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

❏ Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms

❏ Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms

Mrs. Earls is thrilled to share Thursday evening bedtime stories through December 17 (there will be no story time on Thanksgiving). Please look for a Zoom link in your parent email. If you did not receive a link but would like to join, please send a note to Mrs. Earls. Each week, Mrs. Earls or a special guest will read a new bedtime story. We will begin the new series of stories with books that focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. Please join us each Thursday at 7:00p. Children of all ages are welcome!

Next Selection: Baseball Saved Us, by Ken Mochizuki, illustrated by Dom Lee

Synopsis: In 1942, the U.S. Army required people of Japanese descent to move to internment camps in the middle of deserts because the government thought they could not be trusted. Baseball Saved Us will introduce children to this period of US history through the story of a young boy and his family who were sent to an internment camp for several years. As tension starts to develop between people in the camp, the boy’s father decides they need something to do in the camp, so they build a baseball field and start playing ball. After returning home from the camp, the boy is teased at school because of his Japanese heritage. Your child will be cheering on the narrator as he overcomes stereotypes, joins the baseball team, and make friends with the other players on the team.

The most recent edition of BusinessWest devoted an article in its education section to the successful re-opening efforts undertaken by private and independent schools throughout the region. The article focused on three schools in particular: Wilbraham-Monson Academy, Deerfield Academy and ACADEMY HILL! If you have not seen the article yet, we invite you to read it today.

The MATHCOUNTS Competition Program provides the extra incentive and the perfect atmosphere for students to push themselves to achieve at higher levels in mathematics. Consisting of fun and creative problems that promote critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, the MATHCOUNTS competitions include written and oral rounds, as well as individual and team components. This year, MATHCOUNTS is open to grade 8 only, due to COVID restrictions.

We are excited to announce that our friend, Sarah Gallagher, of Sarah Gallagher Studios, will once again join us to capture your children's photos as they begin a new school year. School picture day is Tuesday, September 29. Our rain date is Wednesday, September 30.

Order forms will be sent home today!

Bedtime Stories with Mrs. Earls and Guests at 7:00p

Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day

Parent - Teacher Conferences (Zoom)

Save the dates: Sign up information coming soon

Thank you to the Parent Association volunteers on hand to assist with the mum delivery and distribution this past Tuesday! We appreciate your hard work!

New parents are encouraged to join us! To to get involved with Parent Association activities, please send a note to PA President, E'beth Wells today!