February 7, 2025

Dear Lower School Families,

Thank You!

• Thank you PACA for sponsoring last week’s Lower School Skate Party! It was great to see so many families enjoying a fun night at the rink!
• A big thank you to our carline parents and students! The carline is moving much swifter these past two weeks as students are exiting the cars themselves and are ready to get out if they need the door opened. We appreciate your support in making our carline move as efficiently as possible.

Attendance

When your child is absent, please enter the absence in SchoolPass with the reason. It is important for the teachers and the school to know when and why a student will be out.

Valentine’s Day Celebrations & Dress on Thursday, February 13

Valentine’s Day will be celebrated at Academy on Thursday, February 13, since we do not have school on Friday. We encourage all students and faculty/staff to wear pink and red that day. Jeans and sweatpants will be allowed but pajama bottoms and yoga pants are not permitted; also, no short shorts or short skirts. Non-participating students may wear spiritwear dress-down attire.

There is no school on Friday, February 14, as it is a professional development day for faculty. Monday, February 17, is Presidents Day and a school holiday, so students will enjoy a four-day weekend.

Parent Coffees This Spring

We had our first Parent Coffee of 2025 yesterday, with information shared about our lower school library program from our librarians. Please join us for the upcoming Lower School Parent Coffees, which offer you insight into our programs in the Lower School and give you the opportunity to meet other parents.

• Wednesday, March 5: “Let Grow” with Danielle Gibbs at 8:15 a.m. in the dining hall (fireside)
• Tuesday, April 22: “Signs of Spring Hike” with Grace Gordon at 8:15 a.m. (meet on the fireside of the dining hall)
• May: Rising Grade-Level Coffees (all dates forthcoming)

Conferences in March

The next parent conferences will be in person on March 6-7. They will occur from 1:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Friday. When the scheduler opens, it is important for you to sign up promptly for times that are convenient for you. Conferences are in person and on these two days only. Make-up days will not be offered.

Message from LS Counselor Danielle Gibbs

Families in Separate Homes (F.I.S.H) is gearing up for another round of sessions. This group is for students navigating the challenges of a separation or divorce of their caregivers. This is open to students in grades 1-5 only and meets at lunch for six weeks. Please fill out this form to register. Deadline to register is next Friday, February 14.

Let Grow’s Project Theme for February is Leadership: Take Initiative. Please send in your completed project leaves for our Let Grow Tree so we can celebrate your children’s successes!

The Summer Ahead

As summer approaches in a few months, many of you begin thinking and making plans for your children. As a former camp counselor during my college summers, I highly recommend sending your children to a “sleep-away camp.” I worked at a camp in northwestern Iowa called Lutheran Lakeside Camp. Over three summers, I served two as a counselor and one as the waterfront director. I saw the great benefit children experienced by attending a camp. Each Sunday, a new group of campers would arrive from various parts of Iowa to enjoy a week of outdoor activities. I saw children arrive with varying levels of confidence – from those who couldn’t wait to jump out of the car without a goodbye to those who hesitated and struggled to join our cabin group at the start of the week. While some took a few hours to adjust, the vast majority quickly made friends and eagerly chose their activities for the week. One thing I can say with certainty is that parents often struggled far more with the idea of being apart from their children than the children did! There are many kinds of camps – some specialize in a specific activity while others offer a wide variety. I don’t claim to know which type is best for your children, but I can say this: I taught countless children and teenagers how to sail on East Okoboji Lake – an experience many would never have had if they hadn’t come to camp! Dr. Michael Thompson, a noted psychologist and author who has visited Academy many times, wrote a fantastic book entitled “Homesick and Happy”. For those considering sleep-away camp for the first time, I highly recommend reading it. It’s available at most libraries, and I have a copy in my office if you’d like to borrow it. Here’s an insightful article from The New York Times that also explores the merits of camp: “Kids Can Be ‘Homesick and Happy’ at Camp.”

Lower School Calendar

Please refer to this calendar for important lower school events.

Cheers,

Mark L. Hansen

Head of Lower School

Brelle Farrenkopf

Associate Head of Lower School, Director of Early Childhood

Vanessa Taglia

Lower School Director of Academic Programs