There’s an App for That!

By: Piper Bell, Technology

In this technology filled world we now live in, we are immersed by many apps that can easily be downloaded onto our mobile devices such as, books, creative art, games, photography, weather, news, shopping, community based GPS navigation and so much more. Looking through the App Store for apps can be pretty overwhelming. One thing that can make your decision a little easier as to what app to download is reading the reviews that are posted on each app page. If it is a paid app it really helps to see what others are saying about the app and if you would like to know a little more you could research the developer.

We are so fortunate to have a plethora of children’s apps to choose from and there are great resources that can select the best top rated apps for kids that are intuitive, helpful and the best priced. Here are twelve of my recommendations from the parents.com article, Best Apps for Families:

PBS Kids Video: Provides a safe, child-friendly viewing experience for all ages.
Starfall Education Series: ABC’s, I’m Reading, Numbers, Learn to Read, It’s Fun to Read and more.
ABC Mouse Education Bundle: ABCmouse.com, Mathematics Animations, ABCmouse Music Videos, Language Arts Animations, ABCmouse Mastering Math, Mastering the Alphabet, ABCmouse Science Animations, Magic Rainbow Traceables and ABCmouse Zoo.
Heads Up!: Trivia on the go.
Hopscotch: Coding for Kids
Swift Playgrounds: Learn real coding the fun way by Apple
Minecraft: Education Edition – the game allows players to build with a variety of different blocks in 3D to create virtual worlds. Families can be in the same game if on shared Wi-Fi.
Mathmateer: Build a rocket and fly to the stars completing 56 different math missions.
Evernote: Record voice notes, digitize documents and share files electronically.
BrainBreak: Brain training exercises to increase motivation and teamwork.
QuizUp: Fun, addictive, challenging trivia.
Waze: Community based navigation app that provides real-time traffic updates and road information.

Technology has brought a great deal of instant information to our fingertips, anywhere at anytime, and it is extremely easy to become addicted to spending way too much time surfing the internet, playing games, watching videos, social media and more with children and adults alike. It is very important for families to be aware of the amount of time that media is being used. With Apple’s Screen Time, you can see how much time you and your children spend on apps, websites and more. Screen Time will let you set limits for what you want to manage. To learn more visit, https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208982. Apple also has an app, Apple Support, which is your personal guide to find answers with articles tailored to your devices. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/apple-support/id1130498044?mt=8. What ever you are looking for, more than likely, there’s an app for that! If not…..maybe you might be the next new app developer!

Weekly News: April 1 – April 5, 2019

Steak Dinner

The 30th Annual Steak Dinner will be held on April 13, 2019 on Procter Court. Tickets are $85 and on sale now. Reservations can be made by visiting: https://clarksvilleacademy.com/steak-dinner/. Reservations and tickets can be made online or by contacting Kari Turner in the main office 647-6311. Tickets must be paid in full for reservations to be valid. Tickets must be purchased by Friday, April 5.

Signature Painting
This year we have had a Rob Hendon original donated to Steak Dinner. For a chance to win this painting, patrons may make a $25 donation and be entered to win. Donations can be made in the front office. You do not have to present to win. Drawing will be made the night of the event. You may also contact Sally Allen to purchase your chance to win.

Steak Dinner Video
Anthony Taylor Productions will record the Steak Dinner performance this year. Flash Drives with the performance on them are available for pre-order at $25 each. Please contact Sally Allen to purchase yours. Please pre-order your video by April 11.

Prom

You are invited to attend the Prom Grand March on Saturday, April 6 at 5PM at the Bruce Convention Center, 303 Conference Center Dr., Hopkinsville, KY. This annual tradition is a great way to support our Junior & Seniors on their big night.

Key Club

To begin their spring break, seven officers of the Clarksville Academy Key Club attended the Kentucky- Tennessee District Convention in Franklin, TN on March 22nd – 24th. Those attending were club members: Akanee Angel, Ellyn Darke, Victoria Hilfiker, Jackson Trotter, Hannah Weatherford, Brandon Walker, and Christy Zheng, along with Key Club Advisors, Denise Walker and Lisa Little.

During the convention, club members participated in competitions, a Ronald McDonald House service project, leadership workshops, formal election caucus, and socials events. During the Saturday evening awards ceremony, Brandon Walker received the Ira Gladson Scholarship of Excellence and Christy Zheng won 3rd place in the poster contest. On Sunday Morning during the Governor’s Farewell Brunch, it was announced that Akanee Angel was elected to be the new District Treasurer. Akanee was installed by outgoing District Treasurer and fellow CA club member, Christy Zheng. Additionally, Ellyn Darke was installed as the new Lt. Governor for Division 15 by outgoing Lt. Governor and fellow CA club member Brandon Walker. Our Key Club has been blessed and honored to have wonderful, strong young adults that are willing to take on leadership roles and serve their community through their active involvement in Key Club.

A special thanks goes to Mrs. Amanda Pitt, it was mentioned multiple times throughout the convention by the students that they were well prepared for speeches and presentations due to lessons from her Speech class.

Marketing

CA’s Instagram is now live! Follow us on Instagram 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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O6sx–YQUs&feature=youtu.be

Engage, Embrace, Empower

Clarksville Academy is blogging! Our new blog launched the week of Thanksgiving and will post twice weekly. The hope of this blog is to offer insights for parents. We will discuss a variety of topics from technology, to parenting ideas, ways to prepare your child for testing, long breaks, etc. We hope you will choose to subscribe and to encourage your friends to do so as well. These blogs will not be CA centered, but will offer insights for any parent at any school. Subscribe at: https://clarksvilleacademy.com/category/engage-embrace-empower/

Giving

In the last few weeks, Clarksville Academy has received some wonderful gifts from donor families. Dr. George & Katie Lee have graciously purchased a new AED machine for our campus. This device will allow us faster response time if we have a student or staff member in need.

Bill & Kerri Mace donated the materials and labor to build an addition to our baseball facility at the Sports Complex. This new facility will feature a 30X30 foot weight room and a 50X85 foot hitting facility. This will enable us to add 3 full length batting cages, a full weight room and turn our current facility into a pitching lab. The entire project is donated by the Mace family.

Jon & Christina Clark recently donated lights to be used in the hallway of the main building. These lights have already brightened this space so much! CAPA (Clarksville Academy Parent Association) purchased new tiles for the hallway and these were installed prior to break by Lloyd Hinote, Les Allen, WD Henson, and Mike Veitenheimer.

We can’t thank these families enough for their continued support of Clarksville Academy and our programs. If you have an interest in supporting Clarksville Academy, please contact Sally Allen at sallen@clarksvilleacademy.com to find out more about how you can help.

If you are interested in supporting this trip, please contact Sally Allen at sallen@clarksvilleacademy.com.

Important Dates

April 5 – Q & U Wedding
April 6 – Prom
April 13 – Steak Dinner
April 19-22 – Easter Break
May 24 – Graduation **New Time of 7pm

Fostering Creativity in Young Minds

By: Jordyn Baldwin, Art Teacher

What is creativity? It is the production and use of imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic production.

Children innately possess creativity in a large and endless supply.
I think the first step in helping your child explore and exercise their creative sides would be to find out what “medium” your child finds the most exciting. Is it sculpture, drawing, painting, idea conception, building, performing, singing, writing, coding, computer design… the list is endless! Once you know what their interests are, be proactive is pursuing it with your child.

Provide your child with the resources and space they need to pursue their endeavors. Don’t worry about the mess- it can always be cleaned up! Sit down and build, draw, paint and play with your child. When your child sees you doing this- they will know that their ideas and interests are important. Ask them questions about what they have created and talk through any problems they had during the process. And most important, don’t focus on the end product!

And why should you do any this?
You will be giving your child a chance to visually express what they can not verbally communicate. Children develop their problem solving skills through trial and error. Your child will also learn that there are more than one way to solve a problem. And maybe most importantly, you are giving your child the freedom to create without the pressure of failure.

Today’s A Gift…

By: Debbie Turnage, Receptionist

Today’s a gift…that’s why it’s called a present.

The longer I live in this fast paced race we call life, the more I realize just how fast it is slipping by. Why not make the most of every day? You will never get it back! Make it a practice to look for the positive and count your blessings. Take a moment to enjoy a sunset or a sunrise. Be thankful today. Find that joy from deep down that says “I am going to have a good day”. But don’t stop there, help someone else along the way. You never know what kind of struggles they might be facing. A kind word or a compliment may be just what they need to bring a smile on their face.

Find the life you love. As an adult, pick a career that brings you happiness. There are too many working days not to enjoy what you do. As a student, pick a subject in school, find a hobby or after school activity that you like. Discover your niche! If you like what you do, you will make an effort to be the best you can be. That in turn will bring happiness and joy to your everyday.

I have the good fortune of sitting in the foyer at Clarksville Academy. There I see our students and parents on a very regular basis. I like to welcome each of them with a smile every morning. Happy Monday, happy Friday, have a good day, have a good weekend, are just a few things you might hear. I like to know our students are happy and our parents appreciated. Sometimes if I’m really busy, they will beat me to it. They wish me a good morning or have a good weekend, Mrs. Turnage. I think that speaks so highly of our students, and makes me so proud of them for caring and speaking first. You don’t see that everywhere you go.

All of us here at CA do our best to serve this school and be of help when needed. This takes an attitude of putting others first, and sometimes it can be a sacrificial attitude. The Lord said, “He came to serve and not be served”. There is no better example to follow. May we all strive to reach such perfection.

Team Culture

By: Carrie Daniels, Varsity Girls Basketball Coach

Building a positive culture within your sports team is vital to the success of the players and team. At the forefront of developing the culture of any team is the coach. The coach has the task of not only motivating his/her athletes but also keeping them motivated. If players are motivated, they will develop a greater passion for their respective sport and in turn want to get better and give the team 110%. One of the most important aspects for the coach to achieve this is to show the athletes they care. We’ve all heard the phrase “they would run through a brick wall.” This phrase coincides with the athlete’s knowing their coach truly cares for them. When the culture is one of positive nature and caring, those athletes will be willing to run through a brick wall. As well as motivating and caring, a coach must have positive energy. When the coach comes in to practice or a game with positive energy, the athletes feed off of that. Successful teams that have bought in take on the personality of their coach. If a coach is nonchalant then more than likely the team will play with a nonchalant, attitude. If a coach is excited, inspired, and vocal, then teams tend to follow suit of that coach.

So many things go in to creating and maintaining a positive culture within a team and program. To attain success, a team must set goals and throughout the season, check back to see progress and how many goals have been met. There must be respect not only for the coach, but between players as well. When a team builds up trust between the coaches and players, the sky is the limit with what can be achieved. Coaches also can build a positive environment and culture by communicating with their players. Players need and want to know where they stand, what their role is on the team, and what the expectations are. The only way for players to fully grasp this is for the coach to be clear and concise with communication. Once a player is aware of his/her role and expectations, they have a responsibility to do everything within their talent to compete and uphold their role on the team.

When working with a team, it is a given that players tend to hang on to the criticism given by a coach. A coach can be instructing and giving constructive criticism but in the minds of these young athletes they tend to hang on to that or view it as negative. In turn as coaches, we must make sure for every “what is considered negative” comment, we give two positive comments or praise to off set. Players need to realize when they are not doing something correctly it will be addressed and pointed out so they can work on it correctly. Just as when a player is doing something correct, the coach, as motivation and encouragement, should point it out. Giving praise and encouragement is a motivating factor to work that much harder and do even better. Pointing out the good things and when something is done correctly enhances a positive environment and culture.

It is also important to create team chemistry. All players are not going to be the best of friends, but having chemistry and being on the same page means so much to the success of a program. Players should have a mentality that they have their teammate’s back and know their teammates have their back. One way to help with the chemistry is team-building activities. Players can learn to trust and believe in each other during these exercises. Spending time with your team outside of practice is also important. A coach can be an influencer in this and set up activities in hopes that eventually the team will take it upon themselves to set up team outings. It is at this time that you know you have great chemistry and a positive culture.

With all of these ideas, it is still important to remember we are dealing with young athletes that are learning so much about themselves and life. It is not always going to be perfect and every team has its issues and drama from time to time. However, with a coach that builds a positive environment and culture it becomes easier to deal with the issues that arise and the players are more apt to know how to handle them. Being a part of a team affords these athletes the opportunity to be a part of something so special and to learn so many life lessons that are far bigger than the sport itself.

Weekly News: March 18 – March 22, 2019

National Merit Finalist

Clarksville Academy has two seniors, Cheyenne Deibert and Christy Zheng, who moved from Semi-finalists to Finalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. It is an incredible achievement to be named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, as only 15,000 students nationwide receive this honor. They will continue to compete for National Merit Scholarships.

Steak Dinner

The 30th Annual Steak Dinner will be held on April 13, 2019 on Procter Court. Tickets are $85 and will go on sale this week. Reservations can be made by visiting: https://clarksvilleacademy.com/steak-dinner/. Reservations and tickets can be made online or by contacting Kari Turner in the main office 647-6311. Tickets must be paid in full for reservations to be valid. A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are also available for the event and can be secured by contacting Sally Allen at sallen@clarksvilleacademy.com or by using the number above.

Signature Painting

This year we have had a Rob Hendon original donated to Steak Dinner. For a chance to win this painting, patrons may make a $25 donation and be entered to win. Donations can be made in the front office. You do not have to present to win. Drawing will be made the night of the event.

Steak Dinner Video

Anthony Taylor Productions will record the Steak Dinner performance this year. Flash Drives with the performance on them are available for pre-order at $25 each. Please contact Sally Allen to purchase yours.

Spring Break

Clarksville Academy will be on Spring Break the week of March 25-29. Enjoy this time away to relax and recharge!

Summer Camp

CA’s Summer Camp schedule will be online very soon. Summer Camps are for all ages and not limited to CA students. If you would like to discuss offering a summer camp, contact Sally Allen at sallen@clarksvilleacademy.com for more information.

Marketing

CA’s Instagram is now live! Follow us on Instagram 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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O6sx–YQUs&feature=youtu.be

Engage, Embrace, Empower

Cougar Store

All Items in the Cougar Store are 50% off! If you say you saw this in the newsletter, you will get an extra discount at check out. Go Cougars!!!!

Giving

Bill & Kerri Mace donated the materials and labor to build an addition to our baseball facility at the Sports Complex. This new facility will feature a 30X30 foot weight room and a 50X85 foot hitting facility. This will enable us to add 3 full-length batting cages, a full weight room and turn our current facility into a pitching lab. The entire project is donated by the Mace family.

Important Dates

March 20-22 – Lower School Grandparent’s Day Celebrations
March 25-29 – Spring Break – No School
April 6 – Prom
April 13 – Steak Dinner
April 19-22 – Easter Break
May 24 – Graduation **New Time of 7pm

Understanding the Teen Brain!

By: Denise Walker, School Counselor

The mind of a teenager can be perplexing. Do you ever wonder why your teen makes the decisions they do? Does it seem like all logic and reasoning have gone out the window? Or, you may be wondering why your child can’t remember to take out the trash, bring home their study guide, or do their homework. It may be reassuring to know their brain is not fully developed. A large part of the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain involved in decision-making, planning, and self-control, is the last part to mature.

It’s not that teens don’t have frontal-lobe capabilities, but rather, their signals are not getting to the back of the brain fast enough to regulate their emotions. Things can be further compounded when the emotional part of the brain and the rational part don’t develop at the same rate. But wait, it gets better. Then, sprinkle in excitable hormones and peer pressure and you have a teenager with overwhelming emotions.

Whew…what is a parent to do? You are the most important role model in your child’s life. Your teen is watching how you respond to each and every situation, which can have a profound effect on them. Remember your teen is still developing and maturing and they are not fully equipped to strategize the most logical way to problem solve. Talk with your child, get to know what is important to them, remind them they are resilient, and help them explore various consequences for their actions. Most teens are not capable of making mature decisions and benefit greatly from guidance.

It is easy to get frustrated by the teen brain, but it is important to remember decision-making takes practice. Next time you have to make a big decision, show your teen how you work through this process. While it might be easy to step in and solve your teen’s problems, help them navigate the decision-making process that comes with problem solving. With your guidance, as they grow they will learn to make the right decisions. You want to provide your teen with tools to do this on their own instead of making decisions for them.

Teens experience a lot of physical changes, and it’s easy to forget the cognitive changes happening inside their brain. Just remember to enjoy watching your teen blossom into a young adult. Always be an exemplary guide, offer support, love, and advice when necessary. Understanding the development of your child’s brain can help you support them in becoming independent, responsible adults.

Fine Arts-Why they are important

By: Debbie Hollis, Fine Arts Chair

The study of the Arts as part of a well rounded education dates back to ancient Greece. Theatre, music, visual arts and dance were seen as important aspects of Greek society and still today we recognize the importance of these disciplines. Children receive tremendous benefits from participating in art, theatre and music in school. There is documented proof that academic scores are higher among students who study the arts. There is also a connection between studying the arts and improved social and emotional development. We find even more evidence of how important integrating Fine Arts classes into the school day is to creating well rounded, well prepared learners and leaders.

Why are the Fine Arts are so important?

All areas of Fine Arts develop problem-solving skills.
Visual art instruction helps children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, and inventiveness.
Students who have early music training, will develop areas of the brain which help with language and reasoning.
Visual arts teach learners about color, layout, perspective and balance; all skills that are necessary in presentations of academic work and beyond.
Integrating the arts with other disciplines reaches students who might not otherwise be engaged in class.
Fine Arts experiences boost critical thinking skills.
A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math or science fair, or win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.
Students who memorize music/lyrics/scripts have a better ability to memorize material for other subject areas.

So as you can see, it is important to have a well rounded Fine Arts program as part of your child’s education. Arts education helps students see what they look at, hear what they listen to and feel what they touch. It allows students to develop their own creativity, it shapes abilities and character and helps students develop poise and confidence. Engaging in the arts allows students to stretch their minds beyond the boundaries of printed text and when teachers foster their creativity, it gives students a zest for imagining and learning that will last a lifetime.

Civic Responsibility Abroad

By: Danny Magrans, World Language Department Chair

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Mahatma Gandhi.

The ability to teach a World Language comes with tremendous responsibilities and amazing rewards. The world is so big and the need to make global connections are more apparent than ever before. To develop fluency in a target language should be the goal for all who teach a second language, but so should developing life long learners of all the beauty that surrounds us. Especially when we serve.

So far my students and I have been honored to travel to Costa Rica, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. Each of these trips were built to tour the countries, speak the language, engage in and create cultural experiences and most importantly serve. I am so proud of the work we have completed and trust that greater opportunities are in the horizon. No matter what the mission, the end results have been consistently the same; those who give are usually the recipients of the greater gift. I agree with Gandhi’s statement, in order to understand who we are… we should commit ourselves to the service of others.

“There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.” Woodrow Wilson

Many ask me why do we serve? Doesn’t it take a tremendous responsibility to organize a trip, and prepare students for the experiences? In short….yes it does. A lot of work is put in to prepare and while on the trip, but to be perfectly honest I can’t imagine living without serving. I can’t imagine teaching without motivating as many students as I can to make a difference and reach as many hearts as possible. While it may sound cliche, we all have beautiful gifts that others need to see. To not share our gifts would be to deny the One who gave them to us. It would also be to deny the opportunity to grow from the magnificent differences that exist all around us. Our goal should be to gain understanding and reach conclusions based on experiences earned. This works best for me and my students when we are able to roll up our sleeves and dig, paint, build, supply, buy, laugh, play, and share a meal with those we serve. Over the course of the last few years, we have dug a water line in Costa Rica, worked alongside locals to build and supply a girls school, and volunteered with the Dream Organization in the Dominican Republic, to name just a few. Two worlds divided by such great distance but yet so similarly bonded by a common theme, LOVE.

“The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Many years ago I was asked the question, “What do you teach?” For some reason it just forced me to think more profoundly. I said, “I teach life and use Spanish as my catalyst.” I really meant my response.

So why do we serve others while traveling abroad? Because we are blessed with the gifts to extend to others. I strongly believe most students long to make a difference in this world. As a result I will continue try to extend the opportunities to all who are willing and able to go. I am forever grateful for those who have taken this walk with me.

Weekly News: March 11 – March 15, 2019

Key Club

Over the weekend at the District 15 Spring Rally, Ellyn Darke was elected Lieutenant Governor for Divison 15 of the Kentucky -Tennessee District Key Clubs. She will be pinned in a ceremony at the District Convention on March 24, by outgoing Lieutenant Governor Brandon Walker. CA Key Club is honored to currently have 2 key club members serving in the K-T District Board. in addition to Brandon Walker, Christy Zheng has served as District Treasurer. Both have been great servant-leaders in the board. Several Key club members will attend District Convention In Franklin, TN on the weekend of March 22nd – 24th. Akanee Angel plans to run for the position of District Treasurer, in hopes to fill Christy’s seat.

Intermediate School Spring Dance

The IS will host their annual Spring Dance on Friday, March 15 in the Aux Gym from 7-10PM. The dress is informal (Sunday best—no jeans) and is $10 at the door. All proceeds support the Teacher in Residence Program in Africa this summer. Clarksville Academy students in grades 6-8 are invited to attend.

Steak Dinner

Summer Camp

Marketing

CA’s Instagram is now live! Follow us on Instagram 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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O6sx–YQUs&feature=youtu.be

Engage, Embrace, Empower

Subscribe at: https://clarksvilleacademy.com/category/engage-embrace-empower/

Cougar Store

All Items in the Cougar Store are 50% off! If you say you saw this in the newsletter, you will get an extra discount at check out. Go Cougars!!!!

Giving

Over the past few months, our teachers have been hard at work raising funds for the Africa Teacher In Residence program. This summer, May25-June 6 thirteen Clarksville Academy teachers will travel to South Africa. The UK International Tours partnered with Clarksville Academy to offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to share their expertise with township schools to support the educational mission by co-teaching in classrooms, modeling best practices, mentoring teachers, offering professional development by building a bridge to connect purposeful and progressive curriculum. They will collaborate with South African peers as they celebrate their values, strengthen their teaching practices, and connect creatively and culturally. To help teachers participate in this wonderful trip, a variety of fundraising has taken place. In the fall the teachers sponsored a bake sale, the upcoming spring IS dance and Friday’s Sock Hop are just a few of the ways the teachers have worked to raise funds. Friday’s Sock Hop raised over $1500! If you are interested in supporting this trip, please contact Sally Allen at sallen@clarksvilleacademy.com.

Important Dates

March 20-22 – Lower School Grandparent’s Day Celebrations
March 25-29 – Spring Break – No School
April 6 – Prom
April 13 – Steak Dinner
April 19-22 – Easter Break