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VERSE  OF THE WEEK

In This Issue:

• Current News
• Student Club & Specific Class Announcements
• Parent Resources
• Spiritual Life & Service
• College & Academic Counseling
• Athletics

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KEY CALENDAR DATES  

2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR

 

COHORT ROTATION

• October 26- 29 - BLUE COHORT on campus

• November 2-5 - GOLD COHORT on campus

• November 9-12 - BLUE COHORT on campus

• November 16-19 - GOLD COHORT on campus
• Nov. 30-Dec. 3 - BLUE COHORT on campus

• December 7-10 - GOLD COHORT on campus

• December 14-17- Finals Week - No students on campus

Oct. 15- Nov. 2 - High School Sports Sign-Ups

October 19 (M) - NO SCHOOL

October 21 (W) - TKA Parent Seminar "Grief, Anxiety, and Self Care: Addressing Issues Caused by the Pandemic", 7:00 p.m. via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/96134191509

October 23 (F) - Progress reports released in Family Portal by end of day.

October 24 (Sa) - Virtual Open House #1 for Prospective Families, 11:00 a.m.

October 26 (M) - Hybrid Learning Begins

November 13-14 - (F-Sa) - Virtual Performances of  the Jr. High Musical, The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley

November 23-27 - NO SCHOOL, Thanksgiving Break

December 4-5 (F-Sa) - Virtual Performances of the High School Play, The Merchant of Venice

December 5 (Sa) - Virtual Open House #2 for Prospective Families, 11:00 a.m.

December 15-17 (Tu-Th) - Semester 1 Final Exams

December 18-January 3 - NO SCHOOL,  Christmas Break

January 4 - School Resumes, Semester 2

 

TKA 2020-2021 School Year-at-a-Glance

*All school events subject to change due to public health orders to prevent the spread of COVID19.  Please check here and the Family Portal for all correct dates.

CURRENT NEWS   

NEW! The King's Subjects Blog, "Civil War Rap": 11th grader, Denzel Chin, writes and performs a Civil War rap song for an U.S. History assignment! Watch here!

 

Hybrid Cohort Assignments:  You should receive your cohort assignment email by the end of day today, October 16. Any questions regarding cohort assignments can be directed to Matt Nisbet, Operations Director, at matt.nisbet@tka.org.

 

Lunchtime Monitors

• Days Needed: Monday-Thursday
• Hours: up to 1.5 hours/day
• Rate of Pay: $18.00/hour
• Duties: This position will involve walking around outdoor spaces to monitor students and enforce social distancing protocols during lunch and transitioning between classes.
  Please contact Tonya Pegram at tonya.pegram@tka.org to apply

 

Our annual Knights Annual Fundraiser event was scheduled for October 10, 2020. We are postponing the event until the spring when we hope to be able to gather together safely. In the meantime, we still have many families who count on the tuition assistance we raise each year at the Knights Annual Fundraiser (KAF) 

 

Each school year, we aim to raise $1.5 million for the Knights Annual Fund. With many more people impacted by COVID-19, the need for financial aid is even greater this year. If you are in a position to help at this time, please consider a gift to the Knights Annual Fund. All gifts this year will go towards helping students receive a Christ-centered education at The King's Academy.
 

HERE'S HOW YOU CAN MAKE AN IMPACT!

• GIVE ONLINE HERE.
• WRITE A CHECK payable to "TKA" to the Development Office and indicate "Knights Annual Fund" on the memo line.
• MAKE A STOCK GIFT:  To make a gift of stock using these stock transfer instructions.
• REQUEST CORPORATE MATCHING:  To find out now if your employer will match your gift, kindly check with your HR department

Does Your Student Require Medication? Plan now so you'll have these forms complete before TKA transitions to the hybrid on-campus model.  Please download and complete these forms: Medication Authorization Form and Medication Administration Log. Each school year, a new form needs to be on file in the SAO. Any prescribed or over-the-counter medication brought to school, either carried by the student or stored in TKA's First Aid room, require both doctor and parent signatures. Please return these forms when complete so we'll be ready to go! Questions? Email SAO@tka.org.

Attendance: 

• Official Attendance Report by Parents Only to Attendance@tka.org. Students may report an absence to a teacher for assignment coordination only, not to be excused from class
• Reporting Absences: Attendance@tka.org *Please do not expect a response to attendance email.
• Parent Questions or Concerns: SAO@tka.org.*Parents will receive a response to SAO email in a timely manner.
• Connectivity-Related Absence from Class:  Parents should officially report to Attendance@tka.org any absence from classes due to computer connectivity issues. 
  

Need Help with Tech Issues?? 

• Issue with FACTS or GOOGLE SUITE: Email Help.Desk@tka.org 
• Issue with Webex: Contact Webex support by going to https://help.webex.com
• Issue accessing a class link: Reach out to the specific teacher.
• Note: TKA's IT department is not able to provide support with any issues related to your home network or personal devices including devices released this summer by TKA. 

Reminders from the Business Office:

• TKA Tuition & Fee Payment Policy
• FACTS Payment: Just a reminder that you will now make your tuition payments through the FACTS Family Portal. Instructions here.
• Questions? Contact businessoffice@tka.org

TKA Employment Opportunities: Please pass this information along to any friends of yours whom you think might be qualified and interested. We would appreciate your prayers as we seek to find the best candidates for TKA.

• Teaching Positions - Openings for 2020-2021
  • Vocal Music Teacher-Director, Part-time  Hours:
    • Monday 11:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. with lunch between the two classes
    • Tuesday 10:55 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
    • Thursday 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. with lunch between the two classes
• Staff Positions - Openings for Current Year
  • Weekend Facilities Staff
  • Human Resource Coordinator, Full-time/Part-time

Are You a  Fan of TKA? Consider Writing an Online Review: Online reviews can be very useful in helping prospective families learn more about our school. During this admissions season, please consider sharing your experience at one of the review sites below.

Spirit Gear Ordering Window Open Through Friday, October 30! This is the time to show your school spirit, order Christmas gifts, and get cozy gear for the fall. Orders will be delivered beginning November 16. We will also be offering masks (no logo) for $8.25. Go to www.tka.org/spirit for details and to order.

It's Not Too Late to Order School Photos! Order here.

 

Students & Parents: Yearbook Needs These Photos From You---Please Help!

• Did you learn a new hobby or skill this summer? Did you bake or create masterpieces in the kitchen? Teach yourself an instrument? Send us your pictures!
• Did you serve in your community this summer or fall? Send us your pictures with a brief description of the service activity!
• Did you have a summer job? Send yearbook your photos of yourself at work with a brief description of your job.
• Are you a NEW FAMILY to TKA? Send us a picture of your students or your whole family??
• Please send all pictures to chrissy.mata@tka.org.

STUDENT CLUBS & CLASS SPECIFIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

TKA Virtual Club Day: Students, view the club page here. We invite you to browse around and get connected with peers that share your interests. Joining a club is a great way to enrich your academic experience at TKA and make new friends. We currently have almost 20 student-run clubs from a range of interests and more being added each week.  For any questions, please email Mr. Yu at david.yu@tka.org.

 

All Students - You Can Charter a TKA Club! Clubs at TKA are initiated by students, with the support of a staff sponsor. The list of clubs for the current school year will be published later this fall, as clubs must be renewed each school year based on interest. Complete a Club Charter Application or Club Renewal Application, also located in the Student Portal under "Resources." Clubs for 2020-2021 are forming now! You can see a list of clubs that formed last school year at www.tka.org/clubs.  Questions? Contact Tonya.Pegram@tka.org.

• Clubs formed to date

Quiz Bowl Team is Recruiting New Members: When did Pepsi own a navy? What are the six flavors of quarks? Who was the Wife of Bath? Join Quiz Bowl and you might find out. Answer questions using facts you never knew you needed to remember and get some high quality entertainment while you're at it. Practices are held Mondays after school from 3:00-4:00 p.m. on Discord. Join our server here to see what we're all about, or contact ryan.cheng@students.tka.org for more information.

8th Grade & 12th Grade Yearbook Celebration Ads: This is one way you can commemorate this special occasion for them. These ads have come to be a much-cherished tradition here at TKA and fill the final pages of each yearbook. Graduating students, the student body, and the faculty and staff all look forward to perusing these pages. We hope you will take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate your student. Ads submitted before October 31 receive the discount price. Details here!

 

High School AI Scholars Live Online: AI Scholars Live Online, developed and taught by a team of Stanford Ph students, exposes high school students to fundamental AI concepts and guides them to build a socially impactful AI project where they apply math to real world problems through machine learning. Students attend live online classes where we teach them the mathematical principles behind AI algorithms in small groups with a student-teacher ratio of 4:1. Brochure linked here. Students of all levels may apply here for our winter break program by October 31st. We would be thrilled to work with them

 

Class of 2021 - Orders for Graduation Announcements and Cap & Gown: Orders due by Friday, December 18. Our vendor is Herff Jones. You may order on the paper form linked below or online.

• Digital Packet and Paper Order Form
• Herff Jones Info Video for Parents
• Order Online Here

PARENT RESOURCES

Note: These resources and organizations do not necessarily represent the views or values of TKA. Our hope is they may be helpful or informative for parents. Send resources to Director of Marketing & Communications, Kriss.Hayward@tka.org

Moms in Prayer Zoom Meetings on Thursdays, 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Consider joining in prayer for the needs of our TKA community! "Cast all your worries upon Him because He cares for you." I Peter 5:7. Details here

 

Back to School Night Teacher Videos: We hope you enjoy this new format in place of Back to School Night. You can now watch the videos and see all your students' teachers at a convenient time from home. (The page below will remain live through Monday, November 9.)

Parent Resources:

• Friendships During Covid, Screenagers, 10/13/20
• Common Sense Conversation on Documentary, The Social Dilemma, 10/11/20
• Forget about makng this school year as normal as possible, Boston Globe, 10/12/20
• What Every Child 10 And Up Needs To Know, Screenagers 9/22/20 (September is Suicide Prevention Month)
• Nerves On Edge In Your Home? Screenagers, 9/15/20
• Top Ten Back-to-School Tips to Help Your Child Thrive, Stanford's Challenge Success Program
• Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World: Recommended by Principal Ferrante
• New Science on Sleep, Our Kids, and What to Do, Screenagers Podcast on Apple  & Spotify
• The Path to Teen Connection - Free 3-part Video Series, Axis
• Wide Open School Resources by Common Sense Media
• Tips for Improving Study TIme During Covid-19, Screenagers 5/26/20

SPIRITUAL LIFE & SERVICE

This Week in Chapel: We had the privilege of hearing from Aaron Daly. Mr. Daly works for Rock N Water, the organization that we traditionally work with for the 9th grade class retreat in the fall. Mr. Daly gave an encouraging message on what it means to renew our faith in Christ from Ephesians 2:19. He challenged students to be ambassadors for Christ and to be intentional in their faith. We also had a reflective time of worship, some announcements and a silly game to virtually participate in. 

• Spiritual Life YouTube Channel.

Home Group Chapel Discussion Questions:

• Share about time you were in nature and were in awe of something you saw or experienced? Describe it for the group.
• Aaron shared about a time he was disappointed by his dad. Share about a time when someone disappointed you or when you know disappointed someone else?
• Summarize the talk in one sentence. What is your take-away today?
• As we think about being "ambassadors for Christ" how do you think your daily life shows this? Does your private and public life line up? Why or why not?
• What is one way you want to be more intentional with your fait

2020-2021 Service: Service is a critical component of TKA's educational experience, and all high school students at The King's Academy are required to complete service hours annually as part of their graduation requirements. We find ourselves in a unique situation for the 2020-2021 school year with regard to service. The experience will be different this year for many but no less valuable. Details found at www.tka.org/service2020

• Local In-Person and Online Service Opportunities (Updated regularly)
• MobileServe: If you can not find your activation email, please download the MobileServe app on your phone or access on your computer browser, click login, and then click forgot password. This will generate another email invitation to join. You must log in with your TKA email address.

COLLEGE & ACADEMIC COUNSELING

Mock ACT for TKA Juniors:  This opportunity to take a mock ACT is provided through Compass Education Group. The test will be virtually proctored, and students will be given the option to print a test or view digitally. After the test, students can expect an interactive score report that will be valuable for helping families determine future college admissions testing plans. Results will be returned within 5 business days of the test administration. Please register for the exam here by Wednesday, October 21 to secure a spot at this event. The mock exam will be hosted on Saturday, October 24, at 9:00 a.m. PST. Registered students will receive a detailed email the week leading up to the exam that will include all materials and links necessary to participate. You may reach out to Compass at practicetests@compassprep.com with any questions that arise.

 

The October Edition of College Connection Newsletter Focuses on the FAFSA! It also features timelines and to-do lists for Juniors and Seniors.

 

Financial Aid Presentation: If you missed the Financial Aid presentation, you may view it here.

 

UC Application & Personal Insight Questions: Presentation linked here.

 

JUNIORS and SENIORS, Did You Know College Rep Visits Are for Your Benefit?

• Here is the current list of colleges coming in October.

Changes to this list happen daily: new visits scheduled or time changes, so the best source of information is your Naviance Student account homepage. Look under What's New for a quick view.  

NOTE: Some visits may indicate a start time that overlaps with the last 5 minutes of class time. As long as you register in advance, you may join the meeting as soon as you are able! 
To Register for a visit, follow these instructions:

1. Go to the Naviance student homepage
2. Click Colleges.
3. Click Colleges Home.
4. Under College Visits, click Show More.
5. Select the desired school.
6. Click Register.

UC Admissions Night, Thursday, October  29, from 7:00- 8:30 p.m.: UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, and UC San Diego are joining together for an overview presentation of the UC System following by a live Q & A. Families can register here. 

Virtual Christian College Fair:  Register for this free event. The event will be live on Thursday, November 5, starting at 3:00 PDT. The 125 college booths will be open along with their videos, docs, links, hundreds of presentations. Note: Recorded sessions from an earlier event are also available now through November 6 so check them out on your own time and save the date of November 5 when we are live again!

 

StriveScan Virtual Visits Featuring Over 500 Colleges. Hear from admissions officers and gain important knowledge for the admissions process.

 

 

College Resources:

• A "Fit" Over Rankings: Why College Engagement Matters More Than Selectivity, Stanford's Challenge Success Program
• College Selection Guide: interactive tool to determine what they want in a college, Stanford's Challenge Success Program
• Why Now? A healthy framework to consider this year's unique admissions process, Forbes, 8/28/20

Watch the Royal Reminders for weekly updates.

• Questions: academiccounseling@tka.org

ATHLETICS

High School Sports Sign-Ups Through Monday, November 2:  Sign up at www.tka.org/sportsignup found on TKA homepage under "Athletics."

• We are holding sign-ups for both seasons at the same time so we can get a more accurate picture of how many viable teams we have.
• You may sign up for one sport in each season.
• Season 2 only: If you are interested in playing a second sport during Season 2 (i.e., Basketball and Track), please email Mr. Maemone at Joe.Maemone@tka.org.

The King's Academy is a Christ-centered school that inspires academic excellence, servant leadership, and enduring relationships.

The King's Academy

562 N. Britton Avenue • Sunnyvale, CA • 94085-3841

408.481.9900   www.tka.org
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