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Dear Amana Families and Community Members,
In just a few days, we will start our winter break and just two weeks after that we'll be ringing in 2011! Students and teachers have been working hard to complete their expeditions, midterm exams, benchmark ICCA tests, Showcase Nights and much more, so please take the time to show your appreciation so that they know their efforts have not gone unnoticed.
We believe it's important for both families and students to find a balance between the need to relax and recharge for the next semester and the need to have a purpose over the vacation break. If you are looking for ways to supplement the winter break enrichment opportunities provided by our teachers, consider a visit to your local library. To view a selection of quality literature aligned with the GA Lexile framework, please click here. For additional math practice, students may practice via their Study Island accounts (online CRCT practice). If you have any questions or need copies of your student's passwords, please email your child's teacher.
At this time, allow us to offer our thanks to all of you for the continued gifts of kindness and support that you show all of us here at Amana! We hope that you have a happy, healthy and safe winter break. Please note Wednesday, December 22nd is our last day of school before the winter break. School will resume on Wednesday, January 5th, 2011. Please visit our school webpage for updates along with your student's class webpage. Thank you for all that you do to make our school such a fantastic place to work and learn.
Sincerely,
Ehab Jaleel, Executive Director
ejaleel@amanaacademy.org
"We are crew, not passengers..." |
| ADMINISTRATIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS | | Be sure to check the Amana website on a regular basis for the latest administrative updates, special announcements and other important reminders... |
| Remembering Chinyelu One Year Later | |
 Saturday, December 11th marked one year since Amana lost a special, loving member of the community - Chinyelu Winbourne. We would like to thank everyone who came out to Wills Park this past weekend to remember and celebrate his life. The memorial was attended by a diverse group of parents, students and teachers who expressed  gratitude for the presence of such a strong and positive Amana Family during such a challenging time. This moving event was followed by Chinyelu's favorite activities: soccer fun and Andretti's. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Winbourne family!
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| Amana's Robotics Team Takes First Place! | |
 
Please join us in congratulating the Amana Robotics team on a successful First Lego League (FLL) district-wide qualifier. The Team won a first place trophy in the category of Core Values. They also achieved exemplary scores in the areas of inspiration and teamwork! The judges commented that the Amana team had "Fantastic implementation of all aspects - from robot to project through expression of core values..." and "...strong enthusiasm." They also commented that the team had "well defined roles, and good management of responsibilities across strata." The team advanced to the next round in the FLL tournament and will compete at the Super Regional Qualifier in January!!! "Black Hole" team members are Aurielle Barnett, Jazmine Barnett, Abdullah Budeir, Ibraheem Budeir, Kayla Hedgepeth and Uzor Okebalama. For more information about the First Lego League robotics tournament, please visit the official FLL webpage. |
| Amana's First Science Olympiad Invitational |
 This past Saturday, members of Amana's Science Olympiad team competed in their very first invitational tournament. Team members were awarded a second place in bottle rocketdesign, third in dynamic planet and several sixth place ribbons. Amana's team placed forth overall, which is quite impressive considering it  was the team's inaugural tournament and they were competing against nationally ranked teams with many prior years of experience. More importantly, the students had a wonderful time and are motivated to study even harder for the invitational in January at JC Booth. Congratulations team members on an outstanding first tournament! |
| Board Elections |
The Amana Academy Governing Board needs your participation in the upcoming 2011 board nominations and elections.
The terms of Andrea Cooper-Gatewood, Tracy Blair, and Lynn Hedgepeth are coming to an end and there will be 4 board positions that need to be filled for February, 2011. The Amana community is very appreciative to all of them for their commitment to our school and their selfless service in support of our students.
We are now accepting nominations for these upcoming vacancies and will have an election in January. There will be 3 two-year term positions available and 1 three-year term available. Please read the attachment to this email for information on how to nominate eligible parents. The deadline for nominations is Friday, December 24, 2010.
Your participation in this process is essential to further benefit your kids! Please direct any questions to nominations@amanaacademy.org.
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| Expressions of Gratitude |
 This is a great time of year to express your appreciation to an Amana staff/faculty member that has contributed to your child's education. Crew Parents conducted "wish list" surveys earlier this month to gather information about the faculty/staff's personal preferences and special favorites. If you did not receive this information and would like to know what's on your teacher's list of favorites, please click here. For further information, please contact Shaheen Bharde, our PIE Parent Crew Chair.
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| A Great Start to the First Half of the School Year! |
 As we reflect on this first half of this school year, we are amazed at the generosity and energy of our wonderful parent volunteers. The PIE is as busy as ever around campus! We would like to thank our committee chairs for their help with the many PIE sponsored events these past four months. These amazinf volunteers are called on throughout the year to coordinate PIE projects and provide everything from smiling faces to refreshments for numerous events like Back to School Night, International Festival, Usborne Book Fair, Grandparents/Special Friend Day, Hands on Amana, Family Fun events, NEHS Food Drive, NJHS Fun Nights, Showcase Night, and teacher/staff appreciation. The 2010-2011 PIE committee chairs are Khadeejah Farooq, Tracie Burr, Kristina Leidner, Carrie Dhoulfikhar, Lubna Merchant, Leeann Phillips, Colleen Jaafar, Mary Bass, and Sadaf Qureshi. Also, a huge thank you goes to Sommar El-Nazer, Carrie Dhoulfikar and Linda Afani. The International Festival was a great success this year under their guidance.
If you are interested in a leadership position within the PIE Board for the 2011-12 school year, please be on the lookout for nomination forms that will be on the Amana website in January. There is a place for everyone who would like to be involved, and you'll have a lot of fun while you're at it!
At this time of year, we are especially thankful for the generosity of all of our parent volunteers. You do so much to make Amana the wonderful place that it is. We wish you health and happiness during the winter vacation and for the New Year!
Your PIE Executive Board - Angelika Otte, Shaheen Bharde, Allison Hall, Lemiya Alexander |
| The National Junior Honor Society Thanks You! |
 A special thank you to all of the families who participated in the NJHS sponsored Lettuce Surprise You and Chuck E Cheese Family Fun Nights these past two momths. Amana received close to $300 from your participation.
These funds will be applied toward the National Junior Honor Society Leadership conference in Chicago in February. To find out more about the NJHS LEAD opportunity, please visit the LEAD website. |
| EVENTS/OPPORTUNITIES | |
Be sure to check the Amana website on a regular basis for the latest information on school events, special programs, clubs and enrichment opportunities... |
| Volunteer of the Month Award This Friday | |
 During these first four months of school, your PIE has been hard at work organizing many wonderful events. It is amazing to watch so many of you give your time so generously to our school. We are very grateful for the commitment and countless hours it takes to make our school programs run smoothly.
Your Partners in Education would like to thank Tracie Burr for her outstanding work with the school yearbook, media center/library and many other volunteer tasks she has undertaken this year.  During Tuesday's PIE General Assembly Meeting, Angelika Otte, Ehab Jaleel and Shaheen Bharde presented Tracie with a Certificate of Appreciation for her countless hours of service and ongoing dedication. The December Volunteer of the Month ceremony will take place take this Friday, December 17th after Community Circle. Please come out and cheer on your fellow volunteer and don't forget to continue logging your hours via the Amana Volunteer Portal. The spirit of volunteerism is alive at Amana. What a blessing it is to be a part of such a wonderful community! |
| Volunteer Job Bank - December Postings | |
 Are you looking for ways to really make a difference at Amana but not sure where to start? Feel free to browse the Amana Volunteer Job Bank.
Here are some immediate needs:
- Lunch and Recess Helper - need parents from each class to help during lunch time:
- Days: Monday-Thursday
- Time: Depending on grade level
- Contact: Shaheen Bharde
- Teacher Support Helper - helps with creating copies, laminating, and other light clerical tasks.
- Front Desk - answering phones, receiving guests, taking messages, clinic duties, and/or helping Ms. Ruksana with clerical duties.
For more information on how to get involved on campus or how you can help Amana from home, please contact Khadeejah Farooq, PIE's Volunteer Support Coordinator. |
| LEARNING SNAPSHOTS | | Be sure to visit the classroom website and check your child's communication folder on a regular basis for the latest information on what your child is learning at school... |
| New Eighth Grade EE Website | |
 Please be sure to visit the new Amana Academy Environmental Education Website created by our 8th grade students. This landmark 8th grade service project is a fantastic vehicle for showcasing what Amana is doing to protect our environment. The websitehas been under-construction for the past month and although the students have many plans to keep improving the site, they did want community members to see what they had up so far. You will find interviews, articles, letters to the editor, pictures and several other surprises. Click here to take you to the site and thank you for keeping Amana's environmental stewardship mission alive!
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| Elementary Showcase Nights... | |
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade prepared the following expedition Showcases this semester...
Who We Are: A Cultural Celebration (K)
Kindergarteners celebrated culture! They began their expedition by exploring the different elements of Russian culture. They tasted Russian food, read Russian stories, made Russian art, sang Russian songs, and learned all about about Russian culture. Students then compared what they knew about their own culture with what they had learned and formally presented information about their culture. In the end, students learn about cultures from all over the world and ended their expedition with an in-depth exploration of America and American culture.
 
Be a Hero (1st)
What is a hero? Students in 1st grade investigated American folktales, historical figures and related them to themselves as heroes. In this expedition, students showcased how the legends from tall tales characterize our national heritage and how historical figures demonstrated positive characteristic traits.
 
Change Matters (2nd)
Students in 2nd grade investigated changes all around them this past semester: changes in the environment, living things and themselves. Their exhibition dealt with how change affects people, places and things, and environmental changes all around them from life cycles to moon phases. Students and participants alike were left wondering about the changes that can be looked forward to in the future.
 
Voices of Change (3rd) - Dec 20 at 6pm
Students showcased the influence of Greek architecture, law, and sports on the development of American history and culture. Students were able to identify and explain the structure of the US government and discussed how key historical figures fought for justice. Students examined how these historical figures impacted workers' rights, women's rights, and civil rights.
From Sea to Shining Sea (4th) - Dec 20 at 6pm
Tracing American history, economy and geography from the East to the West coast while connecting science concepts, students displayed artifacts they created based on the following three in-depth investigations: Leave No Trace: Native Americans & Ecosystems, Expand Your Horizons: Explorers & the Night Sky and Tools of the Trade: the Colonists & Simple Machines. In addition, the students were able to identify and explain how these artifacts played an important role in their particular culture of study and time period.
War and Peace (5th) - Dec 20 at 6pm
The central guiding question was "How did conflict cause change?" 5th graders took ajourney back in time to meet people from the 1860s. Students came "alive" in this expedition and shared what happened before, during, and after the Civil War. |
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| THANK YOU | |
Of course, if you ever have any questions or concerns, please contact your child's teacher directly, or any one of our administrative team members or Governing Board members. We're all interested in hearing from you at any time you need or want to speak with us. Amana's main number is (678) 624-0989 and you may also find email contact information for all of our faculty and staff by visiting the Amana Staff Directory.
On behalf of the Governing Board, the Amana faculty and staff, and the school administration, thank you for entrusting your child's education to us. With your continued support, we'll continue to mold the very best and brightest global leaders within our community. What an amazing journey! Thank you for making it possible and worthwhile.
Sincerely,
Ehab Jaleel
Executive Director, Amana Academy
ejaleel@amanaacademy.org
"We are crew, not passengers..." |
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| Parent Survey |
We are interested in learning what you think about of the quality of instruction your child is receiving here at Amana Academy, so please take a few minutes to complete the Fall Parent Perception Survey by visiting our home page news spotlight or by clicking here. Please complete a separate survey for each child by January 9, 2010. All parents will receive a separate email with login information.
Thank you for your feedback! |
| How Can We Best Reach You? |
An important part of our care and safe keeping of your precious children is our ability to know that we always have available the best and most efficient way of getting in touch with you should the need arise. Please take a moment to make sure that we have current work and home phone numbers. If you have a cell phone that you keep with you and would like us to use it, please email our Data Clerk, Sheryl Hale, as soon as possible. During the year phone numbers can change, so we appreciate your making sure that the school is apprised of any changes which may affect our ability to contact you on behalf of your child. Thank you! |
| Reenrollment Deadline Fast Approaching |  |
As you know, admission to Amana Academy is open to all students who reside in the Fulton County Schools District. In accordance with state and local regulations and because of space and enrollment limits, charter schools in GA give preference to existing students and their siblings. New students will be admitted only if space is available after waiting lists are exhausted. Parents of existing students who plan to have their child/ren attend Amana next year must submit an INTENT TO RETURN form to school in order to hold their spaces.
To secure your child's space for next year, we ask that you complete the online
recommitment form
before January 31st. Please note that in order to be fair to all our families and applicants, we strictly observe deadlines. Be sure to submit your INTENT TO RETURN via the website before the deadline as our open enrollment for the 2011-12 school year begins end of January and any unreserved spaces will be offered to new families. Please do not delay as our registrar's office has already received a great deal of interest for next year. We have many anxious families of children at all grade levels repeatedly calling to be placed on our waiting list! |
| Weather Bulletins |
 If the Fulton County Schools District closes on any day this winter due to inclement weather, Amana too will be closed. Please check WSBTV Channel 2, your email inbox and/or the Amana website for the latest updates on those days. And be sure your child is dressed appropriately for outdoor play and physical education on cold winter days. |
| Student Attendance Policy | Amana Academy is a Fulton County School and follows the Fulton County School Board Policies and Fulton County Code of Conduct and Discipline. Amana Academy has an attendance check system to provide an extra measure of accuracy for our students. Its effectiveness depends on the parents' cooperation of logging onto our website, and accurately completing the form for absences. Parents, please adhere to the following instructions:
- Log onto the Amana Academy Website at www.amanaacademy.org
- At the bottom of the home page click on 'attendance'
- Click Notify Amana of an absence for your child
- Select the date of the absence from the calendar, and complete the online form.
- Once completed, you will receive an email confirmation. Please keep this for your records
Please visit our website for other requirements on Parents/PIE page or clicking here.
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| Lost and Found |
Chances are that your child's missing sweatshirt is in one of the Lost and Found boxes! They are located just inside the entrance to the cafeteria. Please write your child's name in his/her garments so we can contact you if an item is found. Unclaimed Amana attire will be donated to the Used Uniform Sale, and non-Amana attire will be donated to charity at the end of December. Please ontact Ruxsana Shibley with questions. |
| Used Uniform Sales All Year Long | |
Please mark your calendars and stop by our cafeteria on Fridays between 12:30-1:00 pm. Additional dates and times are also found online on our 2010-11 academic calendar. Until then, please continue to donate gently used uniforms via the front office. Thank you so much
for your support! If you have any questions, contact chair Julie Waugh. |
| Register Now for Grades 3-4 Math Club |
Ms. Svetlana is pleased to announce that the Amana Math Club for students in grades 3rd0inh will start in January! The Math Club will meet Monday afternoons in Ms.Svetlana's classroom (room 32). If you are interested in signing up please click here. If your child is planning to attend the Math Kangaroo competition, please fill out the registration form by December 17 and submit your payment to Ms. Svetlana. |
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