Washington, DC: Day 4 May 8th

Once again, we made our way into downtown DC and began the morning with two firsts for Clarksville Academy students and chaperones. Those firsts were visiting the Supreme Court and Library of Congress. Walking through the exquisite, marbled halls and exhibits of these magnificent buildings was an experience we won’t soon forget. After eating lunch at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, we made our way to the National Archives to experience the historical documents that tell the stories of our nation’s history. Then, we strolled through the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden on our way to the Museum of Natural History.
We filled our night by making the trek to Baltimore to watch an Orioles vs. Red Sox baseball game at Camden Yards while partaking in all-you-can-eat concessions! The game went into extra innings, so it made for a late night arrival at our hotel. The students had a great time experiencing all the wonderful exhibits, competing in learning challenges, viewing the game, and enjoying time with friends.

A Strong Work Ethic

By: Kristen Stowe, Student Services

In today’s world of entitlement, everyone wants everything handed to them without a please, thank you, complete sentence or hard work. This new line of thinking is embedded in the hearts and minds of adults and children everywhere. I see this attitude every day.

My mom was a single mother of three children. She worked hard, finished business school, took care of each of our individual needs plus family needs and made it to games, even though she slept through most of my softball games in the car, she tried. Let me also state that this was on top of working a full-time job, going on 43 years in September, running the concession stands, being on the board of our school and serving as secretary for our church. Plus she did it all in five inch heels! She was the real MVP. She also took care of two children, who though they were not her biological children, she loved them just the same.

Watching this great woman of faith, taught me to appreciate the work, the struggle, the grit, the good, the bad, the ugly, the unfair, the just, the sacrifice, the reaping, the harvest, whether plentiful or poor, and especially the journey. People in these times think you get something for nothing. It doesn’t work like that folks. How can that last if everyone is taking and there isn’t anyone working? I teach my kids to do their best at everything, from making the trash bag look presentable to turning in projects. I believe without hard work and a strong work ethic, an accomplishment is not humbly appreciated, so I try to put that in word and action.

Anyone can get a job. A strong work ethic keeps the job. Anyone can go to college, but college retention and college degrees come from a strong work ethic. Webster states that work is to “perform or carry through a task requiring sustained effort or continuous repeated operations or to exert oneself physically or mentally in sustained effort for a purpose”. In other words, something has to be given or an effort must be made. Now, let’s look at ethic. Webster says ethic is a “set of moral principles, or a philosophy”. Strong means “having or marked by great physical power or having moral or intellectual power”. So a strong work ethic can be broken down to a purposeful, meaningful, effort that defines you physically and/or mentally.

Any and everything we do represents us: our world, our parents, our children, our job, our school teams and clubs, literally everything we touch. We must strive to represent ourselves well and stand for something. A strong work ethic is a gem and its rarity is unbelievable. Your work ethic gets you that promotion, your work ethic keeps that job, your work ethic keeps you on top on your game. You may not have all the answers, but you will dig to find them.

When students come back to visit they often tell me, that they appreciated my advice to stay on track and to learn time management. We need to impress upon our children now how important work ethic is and how to create and achieve greatness. It is ok to fail. The lesson is in getting up, figuring out where you went wrong and moving on to get it right your way, owning it and becoming great! Children need to feel pain, joy, disappointment, success, love, support and discipline. Of course, they are individuals and will do what they want, but deep down inside the lesson is there. I see it with my son every day. Keep teaching and pushing. They will get it! Look for outside resources if you need help. We must work together to succeed.

Watching my mother has taught me that a strong work ethic precedes you. I wish people could understand how much hard work gets you in life. I don’t mean material things. I mean respect, support, smiles, great ideas, wonderful co-workers, etc. Those are the things you need to have a great day. It’s not about just working hard, it’s about working hard with a finish attitude. The attitude is the best part about a strong work ethic. You don’t mind working, or criticism, or giving or receiving help. A strong work ethic becomes your attitude.

Washington DC: Tuesday, May 7

We began the Day 3 adventure at the Iwo Jima Memorial and then our day continued with Arlington National Cemetery. We were able to pay our respects at JFK’s gravesite, watch Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers changing of the guard, and honor many others who have served our great nation.

After our morning at Arlington and lunch at Pentagon City Mall, we rushed and possibly ran, to make our appointment with Senator Marsha Blackburn. The students had impressive questions for the senator and she graciously answered all. After a photo with her, we went on to tour the Capitol building. Following the Capitol tour, we were afforded the opportunity to meet with other Clarksvillians that work on Capitol Hill. We met and spoke with Lauren Cohen, lobbyist for the arts and Congressman Phil Roe.

After all of these momentous meetings, we made our way to our tours of the WWII Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and Korean War Memorial. Our students were amazed at the size of Lincoln’s statue, the emotion involved in finding a loved one’s name of the Vietnam Wall, and the detailed artistry of the Korean War statues and wall.

While the daytime was packed with visiting these sites, the night was no different. We went again to Pentagon City Mall for dinner and shopping. Next, we topped off the night by experiencing the very moving and serene Pentagon 9-11 Memorial.

Those action-packed 10.5 miles (or possibly more) were worth every memorable step!

Washington DC: Monday, May 6th

Hello Washington, DC!

Our travel time was brief today as we made our way into the DC area. We began our day at the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum at Dulles Airport to experience the phenomenal collection of massive airplanes, the Discovery Space Shuttle and so much more. The observation tower allowed us to observe planes taking off and landing at Dulles.

From there, we traveled to Mount Vernon, home of George Washington. Students enjoyed the interactive museum and even had snow falling on them as they viewed a movie of Revolutionary War battles! The immaculately preserved mansion was another favorite of the day. Walking the grounds, viewing the farm animals, visiting the working farm, walking alongside the Potomac, and honoring the tomb of the Washingtons rounded out our afternoon at Mount Vernon.

We spent our evening experiencing the National Harbor. It’s a great little village area built along the harbor. The Awakeningsculpture was enjoyed and climbed on by all! We also visited plenty of the unique shops in the area. The Peeps Store was definitely a hit!

Up next—-Meeting with Senator Blackburn, touring the Capitol building, and many other wonderful events!

Washington DC: Sunday, May 5th

One hundred four of Clarksville Academy’s finest embarked on a trip of lifetime today! We will spend 7 days in the Washington, DC area. Each day will be filled with learning opportunities and events. We look forward to sharing our experiences and memories with you throughout the week.

Weekly News: May 6 – May 10, 2019

Reader’s Choice

It’s that time of the year again! Clarksville Academy has been nominated in 3 categories this year!!! Favorite Private School, Favorite Principal—Mrs. Jennifer Hinote, and Favorite Teacher—Emily Lindsey, 1st Grade. Please follow the links below and vote daily!!!

Check out Clarksville Academy. 2019 Reader’s Choice Awards https://theleafchronicle.secondstreetapp.com/og/6b5e0a9f-327c-4d2b-af18-eb9c24b233b3/gallery/160923708
Check out Jennifer Hinote_Clarksville Academy. 2019 Reader’s Choice Awards https://theleafchronicle.secondstreetapp.com/og/6b5e0a9f-327c-4d2b-af18-eb9c24b233b3/gallery/160923977
Check out Emily Lindsey Clarksville Academy. 2019 Reader’s Choice Awards https://theleafchronicle.secondstreetapp.com/og/6b5e0a9f-327c-4d2b-af18-eb9c24b233b3/gallery/160678325

Exam Schedule

The exam schedule will be live online this week, but for now refer to the dates and class periods below.

Tuesday, May 21

8:00-9:30 1st Period Exam
9:30-9:45 Break
9:45-11:15 2nd Period Exam

Wednesday, May 22

8:00-9:30 3rd Period Exam
9:30-9:45 Break
9:45-11:15 4th Period Exam

Thursday, May 23

8:00-9:30 5th Period Exam
9:30-9:45 Break
9:45-11:15 6th Period Exam

Seniors

Cap & gown pick up notifications were sent to parents May 1. Caps & gowns are ready for pick up and we ask that these be picked up by Friday, May 17. Balances must be paid in order to receive these items.

Academic Awards Program

We are in the midst of sending out Academic Awards Ceremony invitations. The Academic Awards Program is scheduled for Friday, May 17 at 9:00 A.M. in Clarksville Academy’s Activities Center.

Senior Class Breakfast with the Head of School

The senior class breakfast will also be held on the morning of May 17. This will be at 7:15 A.M. in the Dorothy Martin Library and this event is only for members of the senior class and Mrs. Hinote.

Summer Camp

CA’s summer camps are live this week! Check out what we have to offer online here: https://marketplace.clarksvilleacademy.com/summercamps/

We also encourage you to check out ClarksvilleTennis.com for more information on tennis camps this summer. This is a great way to introduce your child to tennis or to strengthen their skills.

FCA

It’s that time of year! Mrs.Walker has the Wesley Smith Scholarship questionnaire. Please stop by and pick it up, fill it out, and return it for a chance to win $1,000.00. Remember, the winner is randomly selected by a drawing.

We will have our last high school FCA meeting on May 8. It has been a wonderful year and we look forward to seeing everyone one last time!

Athletics

Softball

Congratulations to our Softball team for making it into Regional play. They worked hard and had a wonderful season! We are so proud of all they did!

Tennis

Our girl’s team, as well as doubles partners, Finn Shea & Hayden Sturm, and Grace Parbs & Cheyenne Deibert make their way to Regionals this week! Ayden Kujawa will also advance to Regionals after her first place win at Districts! We wish the best of luck to these athletes!

Baseball

Cougars win against Friendship Christian on Monday and advance to State tournament on Saturday! Go Cougars!

National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association

The National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) is pleased to announce that Patrick Miller, Intermediate School Athletic Director at Clarksville Academy, has been recognized by this association as a Certified Athletic Administrator.

To earn this distinction, Patrick has demonstrated the highest level of knowledge and expertise in the field of interscholastic athletic administration. The voluntary certification process included a thorough evaluation of the candidate’s educational background, experience and professional contributions, as well as a rigorous, comprehensive written examination.

Patrick is one of an elite group of interscholastic athletic administrators nationwide to attain this level of professionalism.

The NIAAA is a national professional organization consisting of all 50 state athletic administrator associations and more than 10,000 individual members. It is dedicated to promoting the professional growth of high school athletic administrators and preserving the educational nature of interscholastic athletics and the place of these programs in the secondary school curriculum.

Congratulations to Coach Miller.

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

Giving is ongoing at CA. There is still time to give to the annual fund for the 2018-2019 school year. Annual Fund monies have helped to secure much needed professional development, technology, security needs, campus improvements and more. We encourage you to reach out with questions regarding giving or with ideas on how you can support Clarksville Academy in our giving efforts. Please contact Sally Allen at sallen@clarksvilleacademy.com to find out more about how you can help.

Important Dates

May 10 – Billy Frank Smith Sports Banquet
May 17 – Academic Awards Day
May 21-23 – Finals for Intermediate & Upper School
May 22 – Last Day for Lower School
May 24 – Graduation 7PM

Academics & Athletics-Making them Work Together

By: Micah Hughes, Intermediate Social Studies, Intermediate Basketball Coach, Assistant Varsity Football Coach

“Sports build good habits, confidence, and discipline. They make players into community leaders and teach them how to strive for a goal, handle mistakes, and cherish growth opportunities.” Julie Foudy.

I have always thought academics and athletics go hand in hand. I have coached multiple sports for many years, and the goals I have helped my students establish in the classroom are the same goals I carry onto the athletic field. I oftentimes think academics and athletics are viewed with preconceived biases: academics having qualities that are lacking in athletics. In reality, they are similar in the goals and lessons they teach. It requires the collaborative effort of both teachers and coaches to highlight the advantages these two disciplines can provide when focused on acquiring a knowledge base and skill set to accomplish an established goal. So often I hear people say, “Oh, he’s just an athlete.” This disparaging remark implies that the athlete is limited in his/her capacities beyond the game field. We need to view students holistically and help them develop their gifts and talents, whether in the classroom or on the field. We know from a statistical standpoint that the majority of athletes will not advance to the next level professionally, and if they do, it will not be a lifelong career. This is why it is important to teach students to strive for worthy goals in whatever their life endeavors they might be. This mindset will ensure a successful future.

Academics and athletics support one another. They both have goals that are predetermined and are achievable. They both require hard work and perseverance. They both reap the rewards of social recognition and personal satisfaction. To be a well-rounded Renaissance man or women, academics and sports provide the opportunities to showcase the potential that individuals are capable of accomplishing.

Anxiety in your Child

By: Alicia McQueen, School Counseling

It is not uncommon or abnormal to experience some levels of anxiety in our every day lives. Adults and children alike have every day life situations that can be anxiety inducing. However, with children, parents and schools should be aware of the increase in children with anxiety that can become hindering to a child’s activity. Some research shows that 1 out of every 8 children has the potential of developing an anxiety disorder. While this may sound like a frightening thought, there is good news! One, just because a child may have a tendency to be more anxious, it doesn’t mean they have an anxiety disorder. Two, there are ways to notice and help your child to cope with their anxiety in a healthy way. Whew!

A key to helping children cope with anxiety and not develop a more complex problem, is to notice some of the common signs of anxiety in children. This can be a tricky task when considering that there are a wide range of symptoms. However, noticing that symptoms present frequently and possibly around the same situations can be an indicator of an unhealthy anxiety. One of the number one things to consider is whether or not the anxiety is hindering a child from every day activities. If your child begins to withdraw from something they otherwise would enjoy doing because of a fear or anxiety, this is a sign of anxiety reaching an unhealthy stage. Additionally, children that complain of constant tummy aches, have trouble sleeping, become very clingy, lack focus, or begin having emotional outbursts that seem to be extreme may be showing signs of anxiety.

Treating and working through anxiety is key. Avoiding or punishing the behaviors/symptoms above can lead to bigger problems. Children need to understand their anxiety and learn to cope with it in healthy ways. Untreated anxiety can lead to confusion, poor performance in school and social situations, and problems with self-esteem. Often, children that talk with their parents and address anxieties gain reassurance and coping strategies that help them when they find themselves getting anxious. Reaching out to a school counselor, a community counselor, and/or a pediatrician can also be a great avenue for parents needing a little help in how to work with their anxious child.

So, what is the good news about anxiety? Anxiety, while increasing in children, is pretty well-researched, with many successful and helpful tools available. Knowing the signs and symptoms to look for is key in helping your child to cope in healthy ways. As always, sitting down and chatting with your child, going out to do something fun, unplugging and spending time together, or reading a good book together sparks conversations and healthy ways to work through what is stressing them. Being in tune with how they are feeling is the best way to catch anxiety early.

Parent Associations – A Potent Educational Force Multiplier

By: Anneliese Steele, Clarksville Academy Parent Association (CAPA) Board Member

As I consider how to best describe the impact parent associations (PAs) have on the lives of our children, the term “force multiplier” comes to mind. I learned this concept as a military planner. The Military defines a force multiplier as “a capability that, when added to and employed …significantly increases the … potential of that force and thus enhances the probability of successful mission accomplishment.” We all want to increase the potential of OUR children, our most precious treasure, and enhance their ability to become accomplished students, don’t we?

Have you received that call or text? The one where your children’s school administrator or PA member is imploring you to join, help or donate. My husband and I received that call. Against our better judgement, we said yes to all three. Where would we find the time, and the desire? In retrospect, it is a decision we won’t ever regret. We learned a best kept secret. PAs are a potent force multiplier; they dramatically increase or “multiply” the effectiveness of our schools, our principles, our teachers, our school administrators and our coaches. Vibrant, committed PAs significantly improve the potential and success of our children. You might ask, how is this possible?

About three years ago we said yes to serving in the CAPA because we believe in Clarksville Academy (CA). We respect the school’s leaders and teachers and wanted to make a difference. We found CAPA to be an energetic service and fundraising organization with a mission to enhance the educational experiences of our students by encouraging a spirit of community and by supporting CA with needed services and resources. The members include CA parents, guardians, family, alumni, friends, faculty, coaches and staff.

CAPA is a bonded school community because we all care about creating the best possible educational experience, at CA, for our children. CAPA works with the teachers and staff to help provide educational excellence to our children. CAPA emphasizes involvement, inclusion, participation, caring and serving. CAPA is a loving and caring community, committed to helping students and their families get their children through all grades at CA.

CAPA members contribute several different ways and we always encourage more parents to join us. The CAPA leadership meets with the CA Head of School once a month to ensure the efforts of CAPA support the efforts of the school, and to keep CAPA leaders informed on school initiatives and critical upcoming events. We serve on the committees, on the leadership board or simply take part with event set ups. We have the Boo Hoo Breakfast that Pre-K and Kindergarten parents can attend after their first drop off, on their child’s first day of school. Many parents help with other events such as the Back to School Bash, the Winter Festival and Steak Dinner. Countless parents give of their time, money and talents as they prepare and drop off treats for our teachers, once a month, and for an entire week in May. All CAPA members are dedicated to showing our teachers how valued and appreciated they are to us. A teacher that feels valued and supported is more focused and effective in the classroom, with our sons and daughters. Other members serve on committees such as the New Parent Welcome Committee, the Box Top Coordinator Committee, the Teachers Appreciation Committee, and the Christmas Decorations Committee. Should you get involved?

Why is it important for parents to be a part of CAPA or any other PA? First and foremost, YOUR child benefits. Studies show, when parents get involved with schools, their kids benefit by getting better grades and have less discipline challenges. You build relationships and communication with your child’s teachers, principals, administrators and coaching staff. With all these relationships enhanced, you’ll know what is going on and who’s involved. You can even help plan events. Serving with the CAPA allows you to network by meeting other parents and teachers. It allows you to build rapport, discuss ideas, share ideas, concerns and experiences that will help make the school better for all. You can be innovative, make a difference and help to make positive changes. Helping with fundraising can provide money to improve facilities, the curriculum and social events. Serving in CAPA enables you make new friends and make your children proud. They may never tell you, but they appreciate seeing you and you will be a great role model for them. If your time is limited, you can do something small like donating money, swinging by the store to buy a treat, whipping up something homemade or spending a couple of hours setting up for Steak Dinner or the Winter Festival. Are you interested?

Do you want to become an educational force multiplier for your child’s school? How can you get involved? Most PAs have their own webpage on the school’s website, and it shows you how to join. At CA, you can send an email to our CAPA Communications Officer atcapa@clarksvilleacademy.com. You can talk to CAPA representatives for the Lower, Intermediate and Upper Schools. They are Mrs. Beth Mabry, Mr. Doug Skaggs and Mrs. Christina Clark, respectively. You can send an email or call a committee chair. You can give the receptionist your name, contact information and what you would like to help with, and she will give it to a CAPA representative. You could even have your child give your information to your teacher and I am certain the teacher will gladly pass it on to a CAPA representative.

Your involvement shows you care and will show your children that their education is important to you. It models, to your children, how important it is for them to be a part of making the community around them better. Be active in your school’s PA. Enhance the effectiveness of the school leaders, teachers, coaches and administrators. Be a potent educational force multiplier, visibly invested in the success of our children, our schools and our communities!

Weekly News: April 29 – May 3, 2019

State of the School

Tuesday, April 30 will be the Upper School State of the School at 9:30AM and 5PM in the library. Come hear Mrs. Christmas discuss the new initiatives for the 2019-2020 school year to include the Winterim in January 2020, Freshman Seminar, changes to grading and more. Parents for students currently in grades 8, 9, 10, and 11 should attend!

Teacher Appreciation Week

April 30-May 3 has been named Teacher Appreciation week at CA. The CAPA will host daily meals and more for all our staff at Clarksville Academy. CAPA is asking each family to donate $15 toward preparing meals daily. Please send this in an envelope marked Teacher Appreciation. If you are interested in helping with Teacher Appreciation, please contact our Teacher Appreciation Chairs, Melinda Byard at cmbyard@charter.net or Regina Clift at rpclift@gmail.com.

ASPIRE Testing

ASPIRE testing for grades 3-8 will take place Monday, April 29-Thursday May 2. Testing will begin each morning. Students are asked to arrive on time and to have a number 2 pencil. Students in grades 6-8 should also bring a calculator. On Tuesday, April 30 9th & 10th grade students will complete the Pre-ACT. If you have questions regarding testing please contact Alicia McQueen or Denise Walker.

Summer Camp

CA’s summer camps are live this week! Check out what we have to offer online here:

https://marketplace.clarksvilleacademy.com/summercamps/

We also encourage you to check out ClarksvilleTennis.com for more information on tennis camps this summer. This is a great way to introduce your child to tennis or to strengthen their skills.

Duck Stamp Art Competition

We had 3 students compete in the National Junior Duck Stamp contest which received over 367 entries for the state of TN. Emily Boling (12th grade, Wood duck w/ Lilly) and Maggie Watkins (11th grade, Cinnamon Teal) both received Honorable Mention for their watercolor paintings. Stay tuned to our social media to see these wonderful watercolors. The ceremony honoring the winners was held at the Brentwood Library April 27th. Their artwork will be on display at the Brentwood Library the month of May.

Athletics:

Tennis

Congratulations to Ayden Kujawa who won the DII District 4 Singles Championship! Also to Grace Parbs & Cheyenne Deibert for placing 3rd in the DII District 4 Doubles. Congratulations to Finn Shea and Hayden Sturm who finished 4th in DII District 4 Doubles. They advance to the regional tournament on May 9th. Our varsity girls team has also qualified for Regional play and will begin their first match on April 30. Way to go Cougars!

IS Baseball

Congratulations to our Intermediate School Baseball team for winning the TIAA Championship!!!! These boys have had a wonderful season and we are so proud!

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

Giving

Giving is ongoing at CA. In the past weeks we hosted our 30th Annual Steak Dinner, which will benefit our operating fund. This annual event is much needed to offset the cost of tuition. We encourage you to reach out with questions regarding giving or with ideas on how you can support Clarksville Academy in our giving efforts. Please contact Sally Allen at sallen@clarksvilleacademy.com to find out more about how you can help.

Important Dates

April 30 – Upper School State of the School 9AM & 5PM Library
April 29 – May 3 – ASPIRE TESTING
April 29 – May 3 – Teacher Appreciation Week
May 24 – Graduation 7PM