MSA Weekly News - February 9, 2018

February 9, 2018 | Vol 11, Iss 22, No 382

NEWSLETTER

Hey! It's the Weekend!

We are another week closer to Spring Break, which is 7 weeks away. Got your plans made yet? This week we have had a PVA Coffee at Starbucks, a College Talk, a group of students went on a trip to the Georgia Thespian conference downtown, re-enrollment contracts have started to come in, our winter sports are wrapping up, and our Lower & Middle Schools have held Parent/Student conferences. It has been a full week! Tomorrow is the big PVA Mustang Mardi Gras event - so exciting. I hope to see some of you there.

The weather may not be so fantastic this weekend, but, hey! It's the weekend! Since it will be yucky out, it's a good time to stay in and watch some winter Olympics. I hope you have a wonderful and safe weekend. See you Monday.

Fine Arts Student of the Week

Upper School senior, Carly Mulligan is excited about her new make-up kit for her Stage Make Up class and she is looking forward to learning the art of that craft with Technical Theater Director Patrick Rose.

Thank You to Karen Ferguson

Thank you goes out to Karen Ferguson for coming in during Winter Learning seminar Around the World in 5 Days, to speak to us about Australia. We loved all the great information you shared and the special treats you brought in for the students. We really appreciate the time you spent with us. Thank you so very much!

--Kris Hawksworth --PreUpper Instructor

Pulguero Latino (Latin Flea Market)

This past week students participated in the "Pulguero Latino" (flea market) initiative. This was an opportunity for students to practice grammar and vocabulary learned during the first semester in Spanish II. Students brought five items of their choosing to sell to their peers in other classes. They wrote a description for each item, determined an appropriate sales price in US dollars, and used real-life exchange rates to sell their items with Colombian pesos. This exercise helped students practice their conversational and written skills as they bargained for items and persuaded others in buying and selling items. It was a unique assignment involving a hands-on real world experience. Pictured is sophomore Zack Peppers making a transaction with instructor, Maria Gonzalez.

Conferences Continue

This is a great opportunity to learn all about the things your student is doing in school. You will be advised of your scheduled Conference soon, if you haven't been already. Your student will NOT have school on the conference days for your School. Buses will run on their normal AM/PM schedule for those students that are here on each of those days.

PreUpper/CommArts/Upper

NO SCHOOL

February 16 and 23

Again, your student does NOT have school on their conference days. All students are expected to wear uniforms to their scheduled conference.

AAC Varsity Girls & Boys Basketball Finals

Monday 2/12

3:00pm - #1 seed girls (Howard) vs. #4 seed (MSA)

4:30pm - #1 seed boys (Howard) vs #4/#5 winner

6:00pm - #2 seed girls (TCS) vs. #3 seed (AASD)

7:30pm - #2 seed boys (TCS) vs. #3 seed (AASD)

Wednesday 2/14 - Consolation Games

3:00pm - girls

4:30pm - boys

Wednesday 2/14 - Championship Games

6:00pm - girls

7:30pm - boys

All listed games are at The Cottage School.

Kindness in the Library

This February is all about remembering to celebrate love, diversity, and acceptance year-round. Lower School has been listening to stories about kindness and acceptance during their library times, and this week we made a "wall of kindness" in the hallway. The students wrote inspirational, sweet, and thoughtful things on post-it notes for their community to read when they come visit the library. It's no surprise our students know exactly how to make someone feel special! Here are some of the kind words they shared:

"You are awesome!" - Noah Mawad, 1st grade
"Believe." - Preston Bonham, 2nd grade
"Do the best you can do!" - Max Young, 3rd grade
"Be Confident. If you are kind to others, they will be kind to you." - Eli Jutan, 4th grade

Public Open House

Wednesday, February 14

9:00 - 11:00am

Student Activity Center

If you know someone that might benefit from attending MSA, please invite them to an Open House or better yet bring them! In case you haven't attended an Open House, it provides prospective parents with an overview of the school, a wonderful Fine Arts presentation, at least one parent and one student perspective, a tour of the school and an opportunity to speak with the principal. It's a great opportunity for them to get a feel for what we are all about. Word of mouth is by far the biggest way families find their way to Mill Springs and we know that you sometimes have the chance to be "Mill Springs on the Street", we thank you for sharing MSA!

Time to Turn in Box Tops! LAST CHANCE

Turn in Box Tops by Friday, February 16th for our fall submission and drawing. Place in a zipped bag or envelope with your student's name and grade on the bag to be eligible for the drawing. Drop in the collection containers in each school or office. Tyson A+ labels and My Coke Rewards caps/codes should be turned in now too.

Drawing Winners will be announced in March.

Each school will have a winner that can choose a $10 Gift Card from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Dick's or Target.

The Microscopic World

With so many staff and students getting sick, it's a great opportunity to learn more about the microscopic world. We started the month reviewing what students already know about cells. In the coming weeks, we will venture into the realm of viruses and bacteria. Students will also learn more about vaccines, antibiotics, and how effective their immune system is against microscopic invaders. Finally, students will be taking a field trip to Fernbank to visit the special exhibition, "The Secret World Inside of You" to get an interactive experience about the world of microbes. Pictured is Bella Chapman utilizing the microscope in the classroom.

--Bryan Sellers, PreUpper Instructor

President's Day

I have had a lot of questions about President's Day so I am addressing it here for everyone to know for certain.

WE DO HAVE SCHOOL on President's Day.

It will be a regular school day with classes, lunch and even some homework may be on the agenda. The President's went to school and we will too! We are looking forward to it!

Author and Speaker coming to Mill Springs

In an effort to help teenagers make safe and informed choices, the Counseling Department is pleased to have author J. Tom Morgan come and speak to our students (grades 7-12) at 1:00pm, Tuesday, February 20th. J. Tom Morgan wrote the book Ignorance is No Defense: A Teenager's Guide to Georgia Law. Morgan is a highly respected former prosecutor and experienced trial lawyer in Georgia. His book provides straightforward information and valuable insights to help teenagers avoid violating the law and avoid being victims of crime. Through real-life examples Morgan's book explains Georgia laws to teens in an easy-to-understand language. With a primary focus on criminal laws, it not only describes what the law requires, but also teens' rights under the law. We are excited for our students to hear what will prove to be relevant, insightful, and educational information from this acclaimed speaker!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Counseling Department.

--Angela Davis, Counselor

Scavenger Hunt

The Middle School readers have completed their Book Scavenger Hunt, a game based on the book by Jennifer Chambliss. Each student chose a book which was then catalogued on a website. They chose a hiding place somewhere on campus; secured the permission of the classroom teacher, administrator, etc.; and then hid their books. They wrote codes and ciphers to direct others to their books. Thanks to the help of Brittany our Librarian, Maddie Hahn (Upper), Zach Burns (PreUpper), and Zach Weiss (PreUpper) were able to hide the books one at a time without anyone spying on them. During Friday Clubs, the kids braved the pouring rain to run around campus and search for their books. After finding the books, they could go online and register the book they had found and make a comment. The students were enthusiastic and each one took home a new book to keep. Pictured L: Shaylee Gandhi and Seth Horwitz come in from the rain with their new books. R: Cooper Casdia and Evan Sycks excited about their find.

--Gretchen Beck, Middle School Instructor

Congratulations to our Wrestling Team

Our fabulous Mustang wrestling team have earned the following titles this season:

2017-18 AAC Division CHAMPIONS
2017-18 1-AAA GISA Region CHAMPIONS

Eighth grader, Tyler Lillard (pictured with Coach John Hanrahan) won the GISA State title in his weight class (145 lb.). What an awesome display of skill, we are incredibly proud of all our Mustangs and everything that they have accomplished this season! Congratulations!

Weekend Shirt Available

This shirt was created for the sole purpose of getting the word out around town about Mill Springs Academy. That is why we call it our Weekend Shirt. The point is to wear it on the weekend, when you are out and about so people see you. Maybe they will stop and ask you questions about your shirt, the hashtag (#SuccessInSchoolSuccessInLife), or the logo thus giving you a terrific opportunity to share information about the wonderful school your student attends. When this happens we get the word out in the community and the shirt is doing its job. Let's show our school pride all around town.

These shirts are available to you for $14 each! All you have to do is go to the website, order yours today, and then WEAR IT!

www.millsprings.org/ws (ws = Weekend Shirt)

This short sleeve tee shirt is 100% combed and ring spun cotton comes in gray with a large distressed logo printed in green on the front, Mill Springs Academy on the sleeve, and the hashtag #SuccessInSchoolSuccessInLife across the back in Mill Springs Green.

Community Cares & Concerns

The Buckley Family

The FitzGerald Family

The Kane Family

The Smith Family

Homeless Individuals

Unemployed Families

If there is ever a care or concern you would like to share with the community, please just email me at any time, I will be glad to include either names or situations. For privacy, I will only list names and claim ignorance if anyone asks me for details. Cheri