Administrator's Monthly Letter

Dear ACA Parents,

We are off to a grand start to school year 2008-20009! Our enrollment is the highest it has ever been in the school’s history; we are so grateful to the Lord. With increasing enrollment comes challenges; where to schedule every class, new teachers, a lot more paper towels and toilet paper, etc., etc. I have to say it has been fun to work out the challenges knowing the Lord is right ahead of us.

The past year was a year of growth in giving which allowed us to do many projects over the summer. Getting the old worn carpet up and having easy care polished concrete floors is one of those blessings. Painting walls up stairs and down stairs is another blessing; it looks so warm and inviting now. We still have projects to do but it’s been special to see all that has been accomplished. Pray for us to continue on this direction.

Spiritual life, which I know is the most important for us at ACA, has been a joy to observe. Charger Round Table at New Life Ranch with our 6th -12th grades was wonderful - new students made friends, the Lord was lifted up, and plans were made by the Houses for spiritual focus this year. I have never seen and felt such seriousness among the students since I came to the school. I’m excited to see how the Lord will work out that spiritual desire with the academic challenges. We are in a worldview struggle as a society and I believe ACA is being called to produce leaders to confront that struggle. There is an intentness which is refreshing to observe and foster.

As a staff we have been reading “Do Hard Things” by the Harris twins, and our goal is to bring that message to our students. These years are not to be wasted on frivolous pursuits but to take on “hard things.” I believe the word “seriousness” is our cry for ACA. Serious times demand serious responses and I believe we are up to the challenge, with the Lord’s help.

Do keep us in your prayers. More students means more of everything. We bought additional tables, chairs, and books to accommodate additional students in the classrooms. These additional financial outlays have so far been covered, praise the Lord, but we all need to be praying. Tuition is only part of our income and the rest needs to be prayed in, so please pray. We also would like to continue to grow, so space and our future is a factor. We do have committees on our Board of Governors putting together short term and long term visions for ACA, and as we progress you will be hearing more from us. Our desire is to produce diligent students who can hold their own academically, but more importantly, have the grace and character to watch and lead in any situation.

VERY IMPORTANT MEETING FOR ALL JUNIORS & SENIORS AND THEIR PARENTS: Sunday, September 21st at 2:00 p.m. in the ACA auditorium there will be a meeting about the trip to Israel scheduled for March 2009. This ACA sponsored tour is open to ACA Juniors, Seniors, parents, teachers, and friends of ACA. Please make every effort to attend this important meeting. Tour information will be distributed and discussed. If you have friends or extended family who may be interested in joining the tour, please invite them to attend with you.

GRADENET: Parents of secondary students will find their student’s Gradenet passwords enclosed with this letter. If you have any questions or difficulties with Gradenet, please call the office. Questions about grades or missing assignments should be directed to your student’s teacher.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

September 19: Picture Day, beginning at 8:00 a.m. All students will be photographed and they should wear their colored polo shirt, not white. Part-time students who are not usually here on Friday mornings are asked to please stop by between 8:00 and 9:15 to get their picture taken. These pictures are for the ACA yearbook. Information on purchasing portraits will be sent home this week. There will be a make-up day in October for those not here next Friday.

September 19: Five week progress reports will be sent home with students. Part-time students who are not here at the end of the day Friday will receive theirs the following Monday or Tuesday.

October 15: All of our 11th grade students will be taking the PSAT. The test begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. Call the office if you have questions about the PSAT.

October 16-17: Fall Break. There is no school these two days.

October 24: First quarter report cards will be sent home with students.

November 1: “Beauty and the Beast” Workshop. Our annual spring musical will be Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”. This all-day workshop will prepare students for auditions. Watch for more information about this workshop coming soon.

November 7: Annual Fall Fund Raising Banquet. Our speaker this year is Mr. Jim Stovall. Tickets will be $25 per person. Invite your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. This is our only major fund raising event of the year, so it is very important to our future. More information coming soon.

November 26: Grandparents Day Program at 9:30 a.m. School dismisses at noon for Thanksgiving Break.

December 5: All-School Christmas Celebration at Will Rogers United Methodist Church.

Just a reminder… please visit the school website often. Each Wednesday the Charger newsletter is posted to the website. Throughout the year, articles and pictures of events are put on the website for you to enjoy. Have you seen the pictures from the Charger Round Table yet? Make a habit of checking the website or subscribe to the ACA newsfeed or e-mail which will alert you each time a new article is posted.

If you have not been receiving ACA e-mails from Mrs. Karen Aspenson, please call the office and give us your current or preferred e-mail address. Mrs. Aspenson sends out informational e-mails to our families and we want to make sure everyone is getting them. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Larry J. Ehrlich, D. Phil. Administrator