Lower Letter
Updated January 22, 2019
Lower School Upcoming Events
Friday, January 18, 2019 -- Jump Rope for Heart Event
Monday, January 21, 2019 -- School Closed, Martin Luther King Day
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 -- Otis Lennon Testing (6th grade main stream only)
Middle School Competition Cheer Team Important Tryout Meeting
All interested in trying out for Middle School competition cheer for the 2019 season, there are two opportunities to attend a tryout information meeting. These are Wednesday, January 23 and Thursday, January 31 at 6 p.m. in the Upper School lounge. You must bring a parent and must have attended one of these meetings in order to try out. There is no experience necessary for Middle School cheer, so make sure you come to hear this important information! Please email Coach Raley at malia.raley@woodward.edu in the Upper School with any questions.
Message from the Principal
Dear Parents,
As the federal government continues its prolonged shutdown, it reminds me of how thankful I am to be working at a place where I am confident we can work through any issues that arise! I'm thankful to be in a place where communication is valued and I know each person will be heard. I'm sure that along the way there will be disagreements, but with dialogue between teachers, parents, students and the school, most situations can be worked out to help the child strive and grow.
I would like to thank each of you for the opportunity to help shape your child's life emotionally, socially, and academically. It is with a great partnership that our students and your children will make tremendous growth during their time at the Lower School. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.
On another note, as the temperatures get colder through the season, please make sure your child has a Woodward fleece or sweater to remain comfortable throughout the day. Every day, if the temperature is above freezing, we go outside for recess. If your child does not have a WA fleece or sweater, they may have to stay inside. A WA fleece can always be purchased online at Mills or at the Consignment Store. Please make sure your child's name is in the outerwear as many of them end up in lost and found without a name. Unless otherwise stated (extremely cold days), the only outerwear permitted at the Lower School is the official WA fleece or jacket. Thanks for your help in this matter!
Lower School Students to wear dress uniform on every Friday until Spring Break.
Lower School students are required to wear the dress uniform every Friday in January and February and the first Friday in March. The first Friday to wear the dress uniform will be January 11, and the last day will be March 1. Students may also be asked to wear their dress uniforms for special activities. Blazers should be clean with the patch firmly attached to the front left pocket and all buttons sewn on the front. Please refer to the Student Regulations Handbook. Note that khaki shorts are not a part of the dress uniform.
JUMP ROPE FOR HEART – JANUARY 18, 2019
Students will be receiving their envelopes for our annual Jump Rope for Heart event from Coach Duke. We are having our annual JRFH event Friday, January 18, 2019 to benefit the American Heart Association! All students who raise at least $5 AND bring in their signed permission form will be participating in the event on that Friday. 4th graders will jump during 5th period, 6th graders will jump during 6th period, and 5th graders will jump during 7th period. We will have so much fun for a good cause and students will also have an opportunity to win some really cool prizes! Please remind your children that all checks for donations are to be made out to the American Heart Association (AHA). Donations can also be made online and there is a matching program for companies that wish to match what their child raised. Thank you for all your support and a big thank you to all the children who are already looking forward to jumping! Contact Coach Jeanine Duke (404-765-3603 or jeanine.duke@woodward.edu) for more information.
You can make a donation on line by clicking here.
Lower School Testing
The Otis Lennon School Ability Test will be administered to all main stream sixth graders only in the morning on Tuesday, January 29, 2019. The test will begin at 9:15 a.m. and will last approximately 45 minutes. Please have your child well fed and in class on time. Also, children do their best when they are rested. Thank you. NOTE: there will be no makeup dates for this test.
Chaplain's Corner
Greetings Woodward Academy Community,
It is fantastic to be back on campus with our students for another great semester! I look forward to the many ways students will share special holidays and traditions with one another throughout the year at assemblies, panels, and immersion trips. As many of our religions encourage gratitude and presence, I pray that this year you enjoy each of the little moments life has to offer. In 2019, may each of us dwell in the present, with hearts of gratitude for the present, as if this is the only moment.
Throughout the month of January, students in our community will observe the following:
- January 13 (Sikhism) - Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666-1708) celebrates the birth of the tenth Sikh Guru, who created the Khalsa and the Fellowship of the Pure.
- January 6 (Christianity) - Epiphany is the second festival celebrating Jesus as Christ, the first being the Feast of the Nativity (Christmas). The Western Churches associate Epiphany with the journey of the Magi to the infant Jesus, while the Orthodox Churches look to the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.
- January 20 (Baha’i) - World Religion Day is the annual celebration of the teachings of unity found in all religions.
- January 21 - Tu B’Shevat begins at sundown on January 20. It is the New Year’s Day for Trees, and traditionally the first of the year for tithing fruit of trees. It is a day for environmental awareness and is marked by special meals that include the seven fruits of the land.
- January 27 - Holocaust Memorial Day is an international memorial day commemorating the tragedy of the Holocaust and the lives tragically taken.
Please feel free to visit our Interfaith Initiatives page to see the times of all interfaith prayer opportunities or to share a prayer request.
Blessings,
Chaplain K
Rev. Katie O. Kilpatrick, Academy Chaplain
404-391-7589, chaplain@woodward.edu
Big Chill Tickets Available For Woodward Parents
A limited number of tickets are now available for Woodward parents to attend the annual Big Chill event on Friday, February 22, at 8 p.m. at SunTrust Park!
Join the Woodward Alumni Association for an evening of food, fun, cocktails, and a chance to bid in our silent auction--all in support of need-based financial aid.
Purchase tickets or an event sponsorship today by visiting woodward.edu/bigchill.
Now Accepting Sibling Applications
We are now accepting applications for the 2019-2020 school year! Visit the Admissions Getting Started page to apply today. If you have family, friends, or neighbors interested in applying their children, you can send a letter of recommendation to admissions@woodward.edu to improve their chances for acceptance. Also, please encourage them not to wait for 9th grade to apply as our Upper School is at capacity and will have limited openings. Thank you for entrusting Woodward with the education of your child, and we look forward to helping your family and friends share the Woodward experience!
Purchase Yearbook
Purchase the 2019 Phoenix yearbook before the cost goes up. You can snag the early-bird price of $85 until February 1 by clicking here. After that date the price will be $90.
WALive
Use voucher code "WAlive1819" here to activate your account so you can watch live Woodward sporting events, performances, and more throughout the school year.
Lower School Intramurals
The Lower School sponsors an intramural sports program for boys and girls. Intramural programs generally run Monday – Thursday with a few exceptions. Students must have a signed permission form turned in by the first day of the activity. Permission forms are sport-specific and are available two weeks prior to the first day of the event. Links for the specific sport will be shown below this message and will appear when the Lower Letter has been published on Friday two weeks prior to the first day of the event. The events begin at 3:45 and end of 5:15 p.m.
We have a record numbers of students participating in intramurals and the coaches need time to prepare accordingly. Therefore, a student MUST have a signed permission slip by the Monday that the intramural activity begins or they will NOT be allowed to participate. Thank you for your cooperation as this will keep our program safe and successful! There will be a separate form for each sport they plan to participate in during the year. Again, the student must have the signed permission slip turned in prior to the start of the activity.
Wrestling intramural forms will be available for students beginning on December 14 on line here and also in the school lobby.
2018 – 2019 Intramural Schedule