Why Learn Computer Science?

Stan Rozar, Computer Science

The world as we know it is driven by technology, and the technological impact on society is only going to increase as we move further into the future. The desire for individuals with the necessary skill set to operate these technologies, whether it is lower lever abstraction with computer programming, or higher level abstraction with basic user interface, will always be in abundance.

Computer science is the study of technology and how to create, fix, and enhance it, as well its effects on society, both positive and negative. Although computer programming is not the only aspect of computer science, it is the most influential. Computer programing is the process of creating and designing an application or software, which results in a “program” that serves as instructions (in code) for a specific computing task. Half of the products that we use on a day to day bases are software products. Browsing through social media, playing a game, or many other tasks would not be possible without application or software design.

Living in the 21st century means we are living in the digital age. As I stated earlier, we are a technology driven world, which means that computer science is changing everything around us. Having a keen understanding over various computing concepts is a skill set that is becoming more and more imperative for an educated person in today’s day and age, no matter what field you decide to go into. Whether it’s medicine, science, engineering, music, or even agriculture and fashion, all of these industries utilize computing innovations to meet the needs of their clients, customers, and objectives at a more efficient rate.

Being able to say you’re an efficient programmer will not only provide a more competitive resume, learning computer programming helps you become a better problem solver by improving your cognitive thinking and logical reasoning skills, which is essentially the goal in life through any type of production, to create and find solutions to problems of the world. You can decide to create a safety app for your iOS device, assist in the design of a computing instrument to detect different diseases, or help design software that detects changes in weather. Either way, having a stronghold on the concept of computer science and programing efficiency, it allows for you to have a vital impact on the production of society in more ways than you can imagine.

Weekly News: October 28 – November 1, 2019

Tacos & Trivia

LAST CALL!!! RSVP BY MONDAY AT 3 to attend. CA is hosting the first Annual Tacos & Trivia on November 2 at 6:30 in the Franklin Room at F&M Bank. Join us for a night of tacos, trivia and fun! Seating is limited. Tickets are $50 in advance and may be purchased by contacting Sally Allen, sallen@clarksvilleacademy.com. Cash bar will also be available.

Boo Grams

Boo Grams are on sale now through Oct 30. These are $1 and can be purchased from Mrs. Turnage or a Builder’s Club member.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

On Friday, November 1st we will have our last home football game of the season. Tailgating will begin at 5:30, followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Mace Baseball Facility addition at 6 and Senior night at 6:30. We invite you to join us for tailgating, mosey on over to the baseball field to celebrate this wonderful donation from the Mace family and then head back to the field for the honoring our senior football players prior to kick off. It is sure to be a fun night!

Intermediate Parent-Teacher Connection

IS Parents are invited to CA’s Parent-Teacher Connection. This is an opportunity to see your child’s classroom, chat with the teacher and receive an educational check-up. This is optional for all parents. If you would like to sign up for a time listed please see the email sent by Mrs. McQueen last week. (Feel free to contact Mrs. McQueen at amcqueen@clarksvilleacademy.com with any questions.) Dates available for Connection are October 28 2:15-3:30 and October 29 2:15-3:30.

Upper School Social

On October 30 from 5:30-7PM, all Upper School parents are invited to a social at the home of Jennifer & Lloyd Hinote. This come and go evening is designed to allow upper school parents a chance to talk and get to know one another. Mark your calendars and make plans to attend! RSVP by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/2Zir05b

Intermediate School Social

On November 5 from 5:30-7PM, all Intermediate School parents are invited to a social at the home of Jennifer & Lloyd Hinote. This come and go evening is designed to allow intermediate school parents a chance to talk and get to know one another. Mark your calendars and make plans to attend! RSVP by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/2U2JcKv

Book Fair

The annual Book Fair will begin this Friday, October 25 and last through Nov 1. Make sure to stop by and check it out!

Maynard Makerspace Monday

On Monday, November 4 from 5:30-7 we will host our first Maynard Makerspace Monday! This come and go event is a chance for students and parents to explore our Makerspace. Students of all ages and their families are invited to attend!

Box Tops

CA has always used the box tops label program to earn extra money for our school. We have been so lucky in the past for all your support for the program. Over the years we have earned thousands of dollars for our school. This year it is even easier! Simply download the Box Tops for Education app from the app store, pick Clarksville Academy as your school and start scanning your receipts! It’s as easy as that! So start scanning!

Publix

Did you know that CA is a Publix Partner? It’s easy to help us raise money for our school by logging your shopping. Visit publix.com/partners and choose Clarksville Academy. Then enter your phone number each time you check out. It’s that easy!

Kroger

Did you know you can register your Kroger Plus for CA? Every time you use your Kroger Plus card a portion of your bill will be credited to CA! It’s that easy! Go online to Kroger.com and register today!

YearBook

If you have pictures you’d like considered for possible inclusion in the 19-20 yearbook, download the Replay It app and send photos our way. Set up is simple. You can always email your photos to any member of the yearbook staff, but the app saves quite a few steps and makes our staff more efficient.

As always, every student receives a yearbook as part of their tuition and fees. This year, students are able to get personalization on their yearbook cover for a small fee. You can order this for your student(s) at Jostens.com. From their website, search for our school and select yearbook. You should be able to order and pay for personalization there. If you have any questions, please feel free to email ldrake@clarksvilleacademy.com

FCA

Fellowship of Christian Athletes is every Wednesday for ALL Intermediate & Upper School students. You do not have to be involved in athletics to attend. Intermediate School will be in Coach Trent’s room. Upper School in Mr. Boyd’s room 117 under the gym.

Cougar Store

The Cougar Store has new items in stock! Stop by and check them out today!

Marketing

Follow us on Instagram at CACougarsTN, Facebook at Clarksville Academy, SnapChat at CACougarsTN and Twitter at CACougarsTN.

Have you seen our new video? We’d love you to share it on social media or with friends or neighbors you think would be interested in CA. https://vimeo.com/352311123

Giving

The Development Office is excited to announce the addition of Christina Clark as Major Gifts Officer to our staff. Christina will focus on securing major gifts on behalf of Clarksville Academy from those not currently donating. Christina is a fixture in our CA family. Christina’s husband of twenty years, Jon attended Clarksville Academy from Kindergarten through graduation. Her daughter Maggie graduated last year and is currently attending Rhodes College, while her daughter Molly is a member of the Class of 2022. Christina has also served on the CA Parents Association Board for many years. Please join us in welcoming Christina to our staff.

Important Dates

October 28 & 29 IS Parent Teacher Connection
October 30 Upper School Social
Nov 1 Last Home Football Game, Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Mace Baseball Facility
Nov 2—Tacos & Trivia
Nov 4—Maynard Makerspace Monday
Nov 5—Intermediate School Social

Weekly News: October 21 – October 25, 2019

Tacos & Trivia

CA is hosting it’s first Annual Tacos & Trivia on November 2 at 6:30 in the Franklin Room at F&M Bank. Join us for a night of tacos, trivia and fun! Seating is limited. Tickets are $50 in advance and may be purchased by contacting Sally Allen, sallen@clarksvilleacademy.com. Cash bar will also be available.

School Photo Day

Retakes will take place on Oct 22. We will also photograph all Lower School Class photos.

Lower School Parent Teacher Conference

Friday, October 25 is Lower School Parent Teacher Conference Day. There will be no school on this day for grades PK – 5.

Intermediate Parent – Teacher Connection

IS Parents are invited to CA’s Parent – Teacher Connection. This is an opportunity to see your child’s classroom, chat with the teacher and receive an educational check up. This is optional for all parents. If you would like to sign up for a time listed please see the email sent by Mrs. McQueen last week. (Feel free to contact Mrs. McQueen at amcqueen@clarksvilleacademy.com with any questions.) Dates available for Connection are October 25 2:15- 3:30, October 28 2:15- 3:30 and October 29 2:15- 3:30.

Upper School Social

On October 30 from 5:30- 7PM, all Upper School parents are invited to a social at the home of Jennifer & Lloyd Hinote. This come and go evening is designed to allow upper school parents a chance to talk and get to know one another. Mark your calendars and make plans to attend! RSVP by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/2Zir05b

Intermediate School Social

On November 5 from 5:30- 7PM, all Intermediate School parents are invited to a social at the home of Jennifer & Lloyd Hinote. This come and go evening is designed to allow intermediate school parents a chance to talk and get to know one another. Mark your calendars and make plans to attend! RSVP by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/2U2JcKv

FUN RUN

That’s a wrap on the FUN RUN! Our grand total was $36,994 and we are so thankful for each and every one of you who participated! It was truly our best one yet! We saw 92% participation from our Lower School and 62% school wide participation. A special thank you to Kendra Milliken and Carin Hass for all their help organizing lower school prizes and working the run! THANK YOU!

Book Fair

The annual Book Fair will begin this Friday, October 25 and last through Nov 1. Make sure to stop by and check it out!

Maynard Makerspace Monday

On Monday, November 4 from 5:30- 7 we will host our first Maynard Makerspace Monday! This come and go event is a chance for students and parents to explore our Makerspace. Students of all ages and their families are invited to attend!

Box Tops

Publix

Kroger

YearBook

If you have pictures you’d like considered for possible inclusion in the 19- 20 yearbook, download the Replay It app and send photos our way. Set up is simple. You can always email your photos to any member of the yearbook staff, but the app saves quite a few steps and makes our staff more efficient.

FCA

Cougar Store

The Cougar Store will begin carrying items in YS- 2XL. If you wish to order a size different from this, please contact Mrs. Hardison at nhardison@clarksvilleacademy.com. Thank you!

Marketing

Follow us on Instagram at CACougarsTN, Facebook at Clarksville Academy, SnapChat at CACougarsTN and Twitter at CACougarsTN.

Have you seen our new video? We’d love you to share it on social media or with friends or neighbors you think would be interested in CA. https://vimeo.com/352311123

Giving

Important Dates

October 22 School Photo Retakes & Lower School Class Photos
October 25 No School Lower School Parent Teacher Conference
October 25, 28 & 29 IS Parent Teacher Connection
October 30 Upper School Social
Nov 2 Tacos & Trivia
Nov 4 Maynard Makerspace Monday
Nov 5 Intermediate School Social

Educational Savings

By: Frazier Allen, Raymond James Financial Services

Saving for your child’s educational future is something we all do. 529 savings plans are tax-advantaged education savings vehicles and one of the most popular ways to save for college today. Did you know they can also be used to save for K-12 tuition? Much like the way 401(k) plans changed the world of retirement savings a few decades ago, 529 savings plans have changed the world of education savings.

529 savings plans offer a unique combination of features that no other education savings vehicle can match:

• Federal tax advantages: Contributions to a 529 account accumulate tax deferred and earnings are tax free if the money is used to pay the beneficiary’s qualified education expenses.

• State tax advantages: States are free to offer their own tax benefits to state residents, such as a tax deduction for contributions.

• High contribution limits: Most plans have lifetime contribution limits of $350,000 and up.

• Unlimited participation: Anyone can open a 529 savings plan account, regardless of income level.

• Wide use of funds: Money in a 529 savings plan can be used to pay the full cost (tuition, fees, room and board, books) at any college or graduate school in the United States or abroad that is accredited by the Department of Education, and for K-12 tuition expenses up to $10,000 per year.

• Professional money management: 529 savings plans are offered by states, but they are managed by designated financial companies who are responsible for managing the plan’s underlying investment portfolios.

• Flexibility: Under federal rules, you are entitled to change the beneficiary of your account to a qualified family member at any time as well as rollover the money in your account to a different 529 plan once per calendar year without income tax or penalty implications.

• Accelerated gifting: 529 savings plans offer an estate planning advantage in the form of accelerated gifting. This can be a favorable way for grandparents to contribute to their grandchildren’s education while paring down their own estate, or a way for parents to contribute a large lump sum.

Although 529 savings plans are a creature of federal law, their implementation is left to the states. Currently, there are over 50 different savings plans available because many states offer more than one plan. You can join any state’s 529 savings plan, but this variety may create confusion when it comes time to select a plan. Each plan has its own rules and restrictions, which can change at any time. With so many plans available, it may be helpful to consult an experienced financial professional who can help you select a plan and pick your plan investments.

Columbus Day

Mike Trent, History Department Chair

Columbus Day is a National holiday that officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Columbus was an Italian explorer who set sail across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a faster route to the Far East. His fleet consisted of the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria and the voyage lasted approximately three months. Columbus’s expedition initiated the Columbian Exchange, which introduced the transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, and technology between the new world and old.

In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison called upon the people the United States to celebrate Columbus’s landing in the New World on the 400th anniversary of the event. Congress and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proclaimed October 12, 1937 to be a Federal holiday. Since 1971, Columbus Day has been observed on the second Monday in October. The Columbus Day holiday is generally observed by banks, U.S. Postal Service, federal agencies and most state governments.

The Columbus Day celebration in the U.S. has declined since the end of the 20th Century. States such as Florida, Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Maine do not recognize the day. These states have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day, recognizing the Native Americans and commemorating their history and culture.

One of the most common arguments against celebrating Columbus Day is that Columbus did not discover America! Norse explorer Leif Erikson was the first known European to have set foot on continental North America. Many others credit Amerigo Vespucci for discovering the new continent. Christopher Columbus may not have actually discovered America, but the impact of his explorations remains quite significant. His journeys kicked off centuries of exploration and exploitation on the American continent.

Check out Netflix and the History Channel to find more information and entertaining stories about Christopher Columbus and his explorations.

Staying Safe on the Web

By: Cara Miller, Director of Technology

Tips for Helping Younger Students Research on the world wide web

Do you want to know: What to cook for dinner?What are the newest movies at the theater?, or Who won the big game?

These days it seems that Googling itprovides the answer to every question imaginable! Simply type in a few words or a simple question and hundreds of topics are at your fingertips. While this might provide a great recipe for dinner, this not always the best resource for our students when researching topics for learning.

Researching a topic in a dictionary or book in the school library was once the only method for research. While today’s students still have access to similar resources, the immediate feedback and up-to-date answers to questions makes the world wide web an ideal source of information. The introduction to cataloged search engines such as Google, Bing and MSN, etc. has broadened the ability to gather massive information very quickly. There are, however, some tips that we can use when guiding our students in their online research.

The sheer volume of results from a simple search can be challenging for a student. Often, the student will select the first response regardless of its validity or applicability. Helping students to understand how to choose a reliable source such as .org, .edu can assist them in choosing proper references. In addition, using search terms that are very descriptive help in narrowing the search results. Finally, there are helpful tips for searching such as prefacing a word with (-) that you want excluded from your search results or using conjunctions to make results more relevant results.

Examples might be:

Search: fruit salad -strawberries (results will not include the keyword ‘strawberries’)

Search: football AND tailgating (will only include results that have both keywords)

Searching the web can also present other challenges for students. The issue of age-appropriate searching for students can be a concern for parents and educators. There are, however, several search engine options for kids on the web. One helpful tip would be setting a student’s home page on their laptop or personal device to one of the search engine pages to replace the normal home page. This will encourage the student to these sites for safe and responsible searching. Depending on the age of the student researching, here are some helpful search engines geared toward appropriate results of a search inquiry.

Ages 4+

com– a safe, visual search engine for kids powered by Google. The first three results to each query are kid-safe sites and pages written specifically for children and hand-picked by the editors at Kiddle. Results 4-7 are also hand-picked by the editors, and include safe, trusted sites that are not specifically written for kids, but have simple, easy-to-understand content. Finally, all the following results are written for adults, but filtered by Google safe search. Parental controls on Kiddle in include keyword and site blocking for further search safety.
com -Kidtopia is a student safe search engine for preschool and elementary students, indexing only educator approved web sites.’

Ages 8+

com– provide safe, adult-content-free search results for kids. Profanity, curse words, and explicit search terms are blocked and a search is discontinued if an inappropriate term is entered in the search box. KidzSearch also maintains an updated list of banned keywords and adult sitesFor example, the number “1” can be used for the letter “i,” and “5” can be used for “s.” Kids also can access an online encyclopedia with over 20,000 articles.

Ages 12+

com– a search engine limited to scholarly works, and can help your child find credible information and citable material. The “Metrics” tab at the top of the page shows the most popular publication for a variety of topics based on the number of citations, and the “Scholar Library” allows your child to save a search to reference or cite at a later date. Google Scholar contains no inappropriate content, but most of the materials available might be too complex for younger kids to understand.

One of our priorities as teachers, educators and parents is to ensure that our students use the internet in appropriate, safe and secure ways. Hopefully these tips and ideas will allow us to guide student research on the web.

Weekly News: October 7 – October 11, 2019

FUN RUN

We are nearing the end and nearing our goal! If you haven’t yet given please do so today! All gifts given through Wednesday, October 9 will be eligible for prizes and incentives. Please contact Sally Allen at sallen@clarksvilleacaemy.com if you have questions or comments!

Security Director, Nick Williamson identified several areas where we would like to see upgrades, these are listed below for your information.

Magstrike locks on all doors ($20,425)
23 HD Network Cameras ($18,280.19)
Speed Bumps ($314)
Radios ($4,000)
Total: $43,019

To participate ask your friends, family, neighbors and social media connections to support your child! Donations brought to school should be made payable to CA and include your child’s name & grade. Online donations can be made by visiting: https://marketplace.clarksvilleacademy.com/product/fun-run-fundraiser/

If we meet our school wide goal of $35,000 for the FUN RUN we will go HALF DAY—leaving at 11:30 on FRIDAY, OCT 11!!!! This is the Friday prior to Fall Break! We need everyone to participate in order to meet this goal!

Tacos & Trivia

CA is hosting its first Annual Tacos & Trivia on November 2 at 6:30 in the Franklin Room at F&M Bank. Join us for a night of tacos, trivia and fun! Seating is limited. Tickets are $50 in advance and may be purchased by contacting Sally Allen, sallen@clarksvilleacademy.com. Cash bar will also be available.

Fall Break

A reminder that CA will be closed from Monday, October 14-18 for Fall Break. We hope you use this time for rest and relaxation!

School Photo Day

Retakes will take place on Oct 22. We will also photograph all Lower School Class photos.

1st Grade PET SHOW

This annual event will take place on October 10 at 8:30 on Procter Court. We invite everyone to attend.

Box Tops

Publix

Kroger

Did you know you can register your Kroger Plus for CA? Every time you use your Kroger Plus card a portion of your bill will be credited to CA! It’s that easy!

YearBook

FCA

Cougar Store

The Cougar Store will begin carrying items in YS-2XL. If you wish to order a size different from this, please contact Mrs. Hardison at nhardison@clarksvilleacademy.com. Thank you!

Athletics

Patton Samuels won first place in the State Golf Tournament in Manchester this week. Patton, a CA Sophomore, has previously finished 7th and 2nd in State play. Congratulations on an amazing win!

Football travels to Memphis this week.

Marketing

Follow us on Instagram at CACougarsTN, Facebook at Clarksville Academy, SnapChat at CACougarsTN and Twitter at CACougarsTN.

Have you seen our new video? We’d love you to share it on social media or with friends or neighbors you think would be interested in CA.

Giving

The Development Office will add the position of Major Gifts Officer. This position will be part-time and focus on securing new major gifts for the Annual Fund. The position will be posted on CA’s website, TAIS and APSU’s career services site. We are excited about this addition.

Important Dates

October 8 FUN RUN in Main Gym
October 10 1st Grade Pet Show 8:30AM
October 9-11 5th Grade to LBL
October 11– **Possible HALF DAY if FUN RUN GOAL IS MET!
October 14-18 FALL BREAK NO SCHOOL!!!!
October 22 School Photo Retakes & Lower School Class Photos
Nov 2—Tacos & Trivia