News & Announcements

Volume 17, Issue 18

Andrews Academy's

Official Newsletter

October 17, 2023

School Spirit Week

The week of school leading up to AA Alumni Weekend is school spirit week. Each day of the week has a different emphasis. Yesterday was “America Monday,” today was “Time Travel Tuesday,” tomorrow will be “Squad Wednesday,” then it will be “Oversized Thursday,” and “Fresh Fits Friday." A lot of creative outfits were created for these first two days! Pictures will be added to this album as we progress through this week.

Today's (Tuesday) assembly was SA Bowl, a long school tradition where SA officers plan a series of activities for the classes to participate in. Thank you, SA officers, for planning this exciting assembly.

This week focuses on doing various fun activities to help develop school spirit. The SCHOOL SPIRIT THAT HAPPENS EACH DAY of the school year is what is really amazing. Seeing students helping other students, encouraging each other, being kind to each other, reaching out into the community to lend a helping hand, and most importantly, students living the Christian life to be living examples for God. This daily expression of school spirit by the teenagers of AA is what truly amazes us.

More photos on FB

Please plan for Parent/Teacher Conferences via Zoom next week, October 25 & 26. School will dismiss at 12:00 PM on both days to accommodate the conferences. Conferences next Wednesday, October 25, will be from 4:00–8:00 PM, and conferences next Thursday, October 26, will be from 2:00–5:00 PM.

Watch for an email coming soon with instructions for signing up online.

If things are going well for your child in their class, please do not feel like you have to make an appointment with the teacher. If you would like to, you can make an appointment, but making an unnecessary appointment will result in fewer appointments available for those that really need to have a conference.

We look forward to meeting with you.

This Week, October 16-20, 2023

Squad Wednesday: Dress alike with your peers. A group of 4 or more is encouraged, but there’s a minimum of 2 people.
Oversized Thursday: Dress in oversized/baggy clothes; clothes are still meant to cover the person regardless of how big it is.
Fresh Fits Friday: Wear business casual clothing.

For all days, we expect people to be reasonable along with following all AA dress code guidelines in reading AND in practice regarding dress down days (NO: hoodies, sweats, pajamas, short skirts, open-toed shoes, or leggings worn as pants; and stay in traditional gender clothing). See our school Sourcebook (pgs. 79-80) for more info. If you aren't dressed up for Spirit Week, you must be in AA uniform!

Career Seminars & Fair

This Friday, October 20

On Friday of AA's alumni weekend, there will be a special Convocation for our students. The speaker will be Pastor Don Anderson from the class of 1983.

Following the Alumni Convocation, fifteen AA alumni will hold Career Seminars, sharing about what they do, the education needed for their career, and more. There will also be a Career Fair in the gym. No classes will meet at AA during that time. The regular school schedule will resume at 11:00 with the 11:10 class.

Students, please click on the link to sign up for Career Seminars. Give your top three choices, although you will only attend two seminars and the Career Fair. Please let us know if you have a college class on Friday mornings also. If you will be gone for the soccer/volleyball tournaments, there is no need to sign up. Please turn in a pre-arranged absence card, however. Thanks!

Deadline: If you do not sign up TODAY, Tuesday, October 17, you will be assigned to two seminars.

Please contact Mrs. Meekma in the front office if you have any questions.

Career Seminar Sign-Up

Shydepoke Games - School vs Alumni

Shydepoke (this year it will be basketball games against alumni) is scheduled for this Saturday night, October 21, at the AU Andreasen Center for Wellness gym. Players meet in the AU gym by 7:45 PM to get organized and for the national anthem. The girls game will be first, then the boys will play.

For more info, contact Mrs. Mills (samantham@andrews.edu).

Band

Performance

Next Sabbath, October 28, at PMC for both services.

Call time: 7:50 AM on the platform
Attire: Full Concert Attire

Cases: Leave those in the Board Room (next to the kitchen in the commons).

SAT Testing at AA

We are excited to announce that students will have the opportunity to participate in SAT School Day next Thursday afternoon, October 26. The SAT is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. Allowing students to take the test in a familiar environment will build their confidence and do well. To learn more about the SAT, we invite you to explore the website: https://www.collegeboard.org/. You are also able to access a free practice test: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/practice-preparation/practice-tests

Students should bring their payments to the main office to sign up by this Friday, October 20. There is limited seating available for the test; we will allow a total of 50 students who are in the 11th & 12th grades to sign up. Students must bring their $60 to the office, and write their names to reserve a place on the list. Checks should be payable toAndrews Academy with "SAT" written on the memo line. (Note: Those in bells will be at Ringfest so will be unable to take the test that day.)

October 26 is the second day of Parent/Teacher Conferences, and the students have noon dismissal. Students participating in SAT School Day are excused from their classes that day only if they are present for the test that afternoon and should arrive at school at 1 PM to begin testing promptly at 1:30 PM. If you do come for the whole day, please bring a lunch.

Please bring an approved calculator:

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/what-to-bring-do/calculator-policy

Ms. Leslie Nieves
Guidance Counselor | Andrews Academy
269-471-3453
nievesl@andrews.edu

Lifetouch Pictures

Proofs and pictures that were ordered from Picture Day are in the office. Please stop by and pick them up.

Picture Retake Day: Friday, November 3

Picture Day ID: EVTV4ZNV3

If you didn't get your picture taken yet, or you would like retakes, please come prepared to have your picture taken on November 3. If you ordered pictures and would like retakes, simply bring the original package on Picture Retake Day.

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. You can also sign up to use the fitness center on Monday afternoons from 3:30-4:30 PM.

Student Intramural Interest

Student Fitness Center Sign-Up

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 #3 is due next Wednesday, October 25.

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

Parents, check your email from Pastor Ferguson yesterday for the consent form and more information about this opportunity.

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 by this Friday, October 20, 2023. 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

By the same date (October 20), please submit a baby picture 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.

Also, please plan ahead for senior yearbook ad nights on Monday and Tuesday, October 30 & 31, at 5:00 PM. At that time, you and your parents can purchase senior ads for the yearbook (see the messages to seniors in the back of previous yearbooks for examples).

This annual event is next Saturday evening, October 28, from 8:00–10:00 PM. AA students (taking 2.5 credits or more) are invited to attend, and they will be joined by area 7th & 8th graders to enjoy games and food, all for just pennies. If you don't have pennies, you can exchange money for them.

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

Attention AA Alumni:

Fall is here, and that can only mean one thing—ALUMNI WEEKEND! We are so excited to host AA Alumni this weekend, October 20 & 21! The main events are next Sabbath, October 21. Career Seminars presented by alumni for current students are held on Friday morning. Friday evening vespers is being planned by the class of 2003.

Plan to attend all of our events and catch up with classmates. In case there are any updates to the weekend's schedule, please visit our reunion information page before alumni weekend. Events are hosted at the Academy unless otherwise stated. Some honor classes may have additional gatherings to attend. Many of the honor classes have a Facebook group page where classmates may be planning activities for the weekend. See our list of FB groups for links.

This year, we are planning to have basketball games for Shydepoke. Challenges have arisen over the past couple of years regarding Shydepoke, and we are seeking to make AA Alumni aware of them and potentially develop some possible solutions that will be agreeable to most. We would like to keep the spirit of Shydepoke alive and request your feedback in this matter.

The Shydepoke planning challenges are as follows:

The Berrien Springs High School field is no longer a feasible option due to time constraints and costs.
The athletic field at Andrews University is still under construction.
AA's field doesn't have lights, which are cost prohibitive to rent.

AA Alumni Weekend Events:

Friday, October 20: 8-11 AM - Convocation and Career Seminar Presentations by alumni for current student body
Friday, October 20: 7 PM - Vespers by the Class of '03, followed by S'mores outside of Sunshine Hall (weather permitting)
Sabbath, October 21: 10 AM - Tribute Sabbath School & Alumni Proceedings (Roll Call)
Sabbath, October 21: 11:30 AM - Alumni Worship Convocation: Doug Taylor '98, Speaker
Sabbath, October 21: 12:45 PM - Honored Class Alumni Photos & Haystack Luncheon (food provided) - Honor Classes will have a classroom to meet in for lunch and the afternoon.
Sabbath, October 21: 2-6 PM - Academy building open for extended mingling.
Saturday night, October 21: 8 PM - Shydepoke (Basketball games hosted at the AU Andreasen Center for Wellness gym); the lobby of the Andreasen Center will be available for visiting.
Sunday, October 22: 9 AM - Sharon Russell Memorial Walk (meet at the AA parking lot)

Sabbath School and church are typically live-streamed on AA's Facebook page and YouTube channel. If you are unable to join us in person, please join us virtually!

Alumni FB Groups

Reunion Info

Shydepoke Survey

Alumni Shydepoke Sign-up

2023-24 Year-at-a-Glance Calendar

2023-24 Calendar

www.landsend.com
Enter school name and city/state (or use Preferred School # 900150871).
After selecting “Andrews Academy,” select “Shop for this School.”

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!