News & Announcements

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Volume 17, Issue 22

Andrews Academy's

Official Newsletter

November 3, 2023

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Ringfest 2023 - Bell Choir Clinic

Last week, the AA Resound (handbell ensemble) traveled to Toledo, Ohio, for the annual Ringfest handbell festival (October 25-28, 2023). Seventeen Adventist academy bell choirs from around the nation participated this year, from as far away as Virginia and Florida. Many academies have participated in Ringfest at various times over the years, with Andrews Academy handbells being the only Academy that has participated each year, since Ringfest's inception 24 years ago.

After arriving at the church on Wednesday evening and setting up, AA students enjoyed a delicious dinner at Olive Garden before checking into the hotel to catch on some sleep. Thursday morning dawned early, with worship at 8 AM back at the Toledo First Adventist Church, where the festival takes place. On the following two days, the students participated in intensive mass rehearsals with two of the foremost handbell directors and composers: clinicians Michael Glasgow and Tim Vaugh. It does not get any better than to work and perform with a living composer! In the afternoon, Resound had a private coaching with Mr. Glasgow, who brought excellent insights about how to improve precision and musicality for the group.

On Friday night, all the hard work paid off at the Ringfest concert, which featured six mass pieces featuring over 1000 bells and solos by each academy or duets of academies. Our group successfully performed Crown Him with Many Crowns, arranged by Joel Raney, along with Maplewood Academy and Atlanta Academy. André Henry was chosen to perform with the Festival Bell Choir, which consists of one ringer selected from each academy.

On Sabbath morning, all the schools had a joint Sabbath School followed by another performance at the church service. Our group was honored and asked to perform during Sabbath church. After lunch, it was back on the road home.

More photos on FB

Freshman Class Frozen Cookie Dough Fundraiser

The freshman class is in the midst of their cookie dough fundraising campaign. These cookie dough tubs make “tasty” Christmas gifts. We are taking the orders now, and the cookie dough will be delivered by Christmas break. Please support the freshman class fundraiser by contacting a freshman and placing your order today. Thanks so much.

Resound & Chorale

Performances

Resound (Bells)

Tomorrow, Sabbath, November 4, at PMC for both services.

Call Time FIRST service: 8:00 AM at the platform.

Call Time SECOND service: 11:30 AM at the platform.

Repertoire: Crown Him with Many Crowns, and Celtic Song on Pleading Savior

Attire: Full concert outfit, including tuxedo, black dress, black formal shoes, and black socks.

Chorale

Next Sabbath, November 11, at PMC for both services.

Call Time FIRST service: 8:00 AM at the platform.

Call Time SECOND service: 11:30 AM at the platform.

Repertoire: Joy in the Morning

Attire: full concert outfit, including tuxedo, black dress, black formal shoes, and socks.

Junior and Senior Preview Days at AU

This Sunday and Monday, November 5 & 6

Juniors and seniors have the privilege and opportunity to participate in College Days at Andrews University this Sunday, November 5, and Monday, November 6. This is an opportunity to explore different career and college major/minor choices. These are required days—all juniors and seniors are expected to be present and participate. AU will donate to the class fund based on participation levels.

At every event at the Howard or Johnson Gym, please check in with a class sponsor for attendance.

Sunday:

*12:30 - Registration and Lunch at the Campus Center (Terrace Cafe) (Optional)
1:30 - Welcome at the Howard Performing Arts Center (Howard)
Afternoon - Career Fair and choosing two areas to visit on Monday
5:30 - Supper at Terrace Cafe
6:30 - Worship at Howard
Evening - Games in Johnson Gym
*9:30 - Food Truck and hanging out on the patio between Buller and Nethery Halls (Optional)
10:00 - Go home

Monday:

*8:00 - Breakfast at Terrace Cafe (Optional)
9:00 - Worship at Howard
9:40 - Gymnics show in Johnson Gym
10:30 - First academic department visit
11:30 - Second academic department visit
12:30 - Lunch at Howard
1:10 - Final Assembly
2:00 - Go home

Students taking college classes on Monday morning can check out with a sponsor to go to their class. They are expected to return after class.

Dress rehearsals at the Howard are as follows:

This Wednesday, November 8, 6:30-8:30 PM
Next Friday, November 10, 3:00-5:00 PM

E-Learning/Professional Development Day

Monday, November 13

Please note that students will be working on assignments at home on November 13 while the AA faculty and staff are having Professional Development. Students, please check Google Classroom and your email for assignments from your teachers.

Dodgeball Tournament

On Tuesday, November 14 , 2023, starting at 5:00 PM, the AA PE department will host the annual class vs class DODGEBALL tournament. This is a great event for AA to have a fun evening with the student body and staff. Information and rules are posted on the gym doors. Each class should wear the samecolor to distinguish teams. Looking forward to seeing all of you come out to either play or support your class!

Please email Mrs. Mills your team rosters by Monday, November 13, (samantham@andrews.edu).

Intramurals and Fitness Center at AA

Students, please click on the intramural interest button and answer all of the questions to aid in planning the after-school activities at AA for the 2023-2024 school year.

Student Intramural Interest

Opting into Texting for One Call Now

Andrews Academy utilizes One Call Now, an automated messaging service, to contact students and parents about school cancellations (including snow days), upcoming events, and urgent information, etc.

Please make sure that we have the phone number that you would like to have contacted. We also send an email, put the announcement on our Facebook and Instagram pages, and alert local TV stations (WSBT, WNDU, ABC57).

To receive a text notification instead of a call (text works best), please text “ALERT” to 22300. Please make sure that you have given us the number that you would like to be texted on as well. Email ginam@andrews.edu with any changes. Thank you!

Tuition

Tuition payment #4 is due November 25. Since that is during Thanksgiving break weekend, please plan accordingly.

Please contact Ms. Gracie at gaytan@andrews.edu with questions.

Chapels this Week

On Monday, a creative worship allowed us to experience the exponential wave affect that results when we pray for each other. One volunteer prayed over another person. These two people prayed over two more students. These four then prayed over four more, and the group of people that were prayed for grew exponentially. As they were praying quietly, Pastor Gabriel Johnson read quotes from the Bible and E.G. White on prayer. The first two people were asked to stand on the stage, then those that were prayed over by these two came to the stage. Then the four that were prayed for joined them, and so on until every student was standing on the stage. Everyone was prayed for. It helped us to see the ripple effect one person has as they begin praying for each other, others will follow, and everyone could receive the blessing of being prayed over.

On Tuesday, Pastor Eric Bell, a formerly local paster that recently moved to Chicago, presented on Jeremiah 20 entitled “It’s just cardio.” While playing basketball, he had to stop because he was out of breath. A younger player teased him saying, “Looks like you need more cardio.” He retold the story of Jeremiah facing such difficulties that he became discouraged and gave up. He felt down like many of us feel periodically. Jeremiah then felt God’s encouragement and became on fire for Him. Each of us can develop a fire for Jesus like Jeremiah did. Like working out, it takes effort, and it develops our cardio. We too can develop our spiritual cardio if we decide to seek Jesus and pray about doing His will.

On Wednesday, Chrissy Penno, AA freshman, shared from Matthew 6:34 and other verses about how God directs our paths, and to not worry, that God will take care of things. She had two friends illustrate how one may not be able to see, while the other one can direct their path, like Jesus directs our paths.

A Village Adventist Church pastor presented chapel on the impact that a young person can have. He retold the story of Jesus preaching into the evening, and the people needed food. As you know, a young boy had five loaves of bread and two fishes, which Jesus blessed and fed the 10,000 people, having twelve baskets of food left over! The little boy’s willingness to share initiated this amazing miracle. Each of us in our own little way can initiate great things for Jesus. It was young people that began the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and more recently it was young people that created GYC (Generation Youth for Christ). He encouraged students to participate in this December’s GYC meetings, a great time to pray, study together, and enjoy fellowship together.

After special music on Friday by Zola Sibanda, the class, SA, and NHS pastors led out in an open Bible study forum. They took turns reading portions of John 2. Then they took portions of the reading and discussed them, asking students in the audience to share their insights. It was a great large group Bible study.

More photos on FB

SOW Safari 2023

December 31, 2023, - January 10, 2024

If you would like an opportunity to be part of the upcoming SOW Safari mission trip without leaving home, scan the QR code or click on the graphic to give online. You can also give via check (made out to Andrews Academy) or credit card (call AU Development at 269-471-3124 - specify Student Missionary/SOW Safari fund).

If you would like to support one of the students going on the trip (non-tax deductible), please contact the school office at 269-471-3138.

Senior Pictures & Ads for Yearbook

Senior pictures are needed for yearbook, class night, and the class composite to be hung in the AA Commons. Yearbook will need your senior and baby pictures ASAP. We encourage you to get your senior picture done ASAP if you haven't already. PLEASE PLAN AHEAD and get your picture done in a timely manner.

Please send an electronic senior picture (JPEG) to the yearbook sponsor (myersd@andrews.edu ). You do not have to go to a professional photographer for this picture, but please make sure you follow the picture requirements below. If not, the yearbook team may request that you send an alternative. For yearbook pictures, seniors should be looking at the camera rather than away from it.

Pictures for the yearbook and senior ads must adhere to the following requirements:

In color
Picture from waist up (not entire body) - yearbook picture
Portrait/vertical mode (not landscape/horizontal) - yearbook picture
Attire per AA guidelines—no sleeveless shirts or bare shoulders, no low cut or cropped tops, no jewelry - both
High-resolution JPEG (at least 4x6, 300 ppi resolution)

Baby Photos

Please submit a baby picture ASAP as well. The baby picture will be used by yearbook as well as for senior bulletin board and class night purposes. Please submit a high-resolution JPEG baby picture. If you cannot scan the picture, you may bring the baby picture to the yearbook staff, and they will scan it for you.

Senior Ads

The yearbook team held two Senior Ad Nights this week. If you missed them, please email your text and images to myersd@andrews.edu (images under 10MB) or if larger than 10 MB, please use www.wetransfer.com.

*Senior ads are NOT mandatory, but an opportunity to have a dedicated space for your message for your graduate.

Parents, check your email from Diane Myers for cost and other details.

Parents, check your email from Gina Meekma this week for the consent form (also attached to this email) and more information about this opportunity.

Attention: If you would like Friday's boxed lunch, those who are signed up for the lunch program must order it each week by Wednesday at 2:00 PM. The sign-up sheet will be at lunch or in the front office.

To sign up for the lunch program or add funds to your student's account, please contact Andrews University's Dining Services at ds@andrews.edu or call 269-471-3161. The Dining Services Office is located on the first floor of the AU Campus Center.

Monday–Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

2023-24 Year-at-a-Glance Calendar

2023-24 Calendar

Mondays - Thursdays :
7:40 AM - 4:00 PM

Fridays : 7:40 AM - 2:00 PM

Important Attendance Information

Pre-arranged Absences: Please be sure to fill out a pre-arranged absence card if you know in advance that you will be missing school due to a doctor/dentist/orthodontist appointment, trip, basketball tournament, driver's test, etc. These cards can be found in the main office or online. A parent's signature is required, then the office, and teacher(s) of the class(es) that you will miss.
Class Schedule Adjustment (CSA) Requests: A CSA is available for students who have a study hall at the beginning or ending of the school day or will be working during a study hall during the school day. A CSA is required for students who leave the Academy to attend classes at Andrews University, who are going to work off campus, or who wish to begin the school day later or leave earlier on a regular basis. The CSA request form must be filled out and signed by everyone indicated on the form before the student stops attending their study hall. Students must adhere to CSA guidelines that are printed on the CSA application. Any violation may cause the CSA to be revoked. I will email students and parents when a CSA is approved.
Other Absences: Parents, please call the front office (269-471-3138) or email aaattendance@andrews.edu if your student is going to be absent or tardy. These are the preferable methods.

Please provide the reason why your child will not be attending school and how long you think they will be out.

Parents/Guardians are the only authorized individuals who can excuse a student's attendance. When emailing, parents must send correspondence from their email account to maintain the validity of the request. Please include the name of the student.

From the Sourcebook (pg. 83):

Students who miss three (3) consecutive school days due to illness must provide written documentation from a certified medical professional corroborating the necessity of that absence.

For any attendance questions that you would like to ask by email , please direct these questions to aaattendance@andrews.edu.

Thank you!

Ms. Leslie Nieves
Guidance Counselor/Attendance Officer
Andrews Academy
269-471-3453

Textbook Information

Be sure to check to see if used options are available.

FACTS or Andrews Email Log In Help

If you need help logging in to FACTS or help with your Andrews email and password, please contact Mrs. Meekma (ginam@andrews.edu) in the main office.

You can find your schedule, grades, etc. on FACTS.

AA Uniforms Available from Lands' End

Uniforms can be purchased from Lands’ End, including for PE. Click on the option(s) that you would like, then choose the size (kid or adult). Please be mindful that Andrews Academy is not responsible for your orders.

We do have a limited supply of uniforms for sale at AA (cash or check only) during office hours.

AA's Lands' End Store

Please review the Sourcebook (pgs 79-81) for more information regarding uniforms. Only approved logoed uniform wear is allowed. A solid-color, long sleeved undershirt may be worn under the AA short-sleeved polo (no writing should be visible on the undershirt). If a student is wearing an AA logoed jacket, they should also have an AA logoed shirt underneath . Only AA logoed jackets are allowed to be worn in the building.

The PE uniform can only be worn during PE class.

School Communications

The E-Sanjo and other communications from the school, including classroom teacher communications, use the email address(es) that you (and your parents) have recorded in FACTS when you registered for Andrews Academy. We will also use students' AU email address. Some have been wondering why they are not receiving their school communications to a certain email. If you wish to have communications sent to a specific email address, please send the change to ginam@andrews.edu. Thank you!