Friday, Feb 18 at 12:00pm - 5th Grade Community Circle

Wednesday, Feb 23 at 8:00am - Cafe Conversation on EL 

Friday, Feb 25 at 11:30pm - Whole-School Community Circle

Saturday, Feb 26 at 9:00am  - Monthly Governing Board Meeting 

Saturday, Feb 26 at 11:30am  - Open House

Saturday, March 26 at 11:00am  - Verizon Fun Walk

Check out all upcoming events on our website calendar.

Unsure about your level of understanding of Expeditionary Learning?  Well, here is your chance to ask questions and gain more insight into how EL challenges students, builds character, and emphasizes quality work.   

Fifth Grade teacher Michelle Valerius and  Jelena Naim, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, will host a cafe conversation on Wednesday February 23 at 8:00 AM in the cafeteria by giving a short presentation about how EL is implemented in the classroom followed by a question/answer session.  Coffee, tea and light breakfast food will be provided.  Hope to see you there!

We would like to express our deep appreciation to Amana board members, parents, staff, faculty, corporate partners, and other friends who contributed to the Annual Fund.  Gifts to this year's annual fund support technology resources.  We are particularly grateful for the generosity of our supporters in what continues to be a challenging economic climate.  Your generous contributions are making student learning at Amana stronger and more vibrant every day.

Make your online gift to Amana by clicking here. 

Expeditionary Learning is built around ten design principles that grow out of the work of Kurt Hahn and other educational leaders.  Our vision and mission along with the ten EL core practice principles guide the teaching and learning at Amana.  They shape our school culture and provide a foundation for the moral purpose of our school.   During the month of February, our community is reflecting on the following:

Collaboration and Competition (EL Design Principle #6)
 Individual development and group development are integrated so that the value of friendship, trust, and group action is clear. Students are encouraged to compete not against each other but with their own personal best and with rigorous standards of excellence.

The literary titles for February's Design Principle "Collaboration and Competition" are on display at school and available for checkout in the media center.  For more information on these and other Amana Guiding Principles, please visit our webpage or contact Mr. Jean Jacques Credi, Amana Instructional Guide.

The Amana Academy Talented and Gifted Department welcomes all TAG students to benefit from these great 2011 summer and extracurricular programs:

• www.Hoagiesgifted.org/summer - Select "United States" and "Georgia"
• Saturday School for Leaders and Scholars at Georgia State University - http://education.gsu.edu/saturdayschool/ Saturday is not your typical day for school but participants in Georgia State University's Saturday School for Scholars and Leaders are not your typical students.   GSU has been providing educational opportunities for the enrichment and encouragement of gifted and talented children since 1975! Each session, Atlanta area educators teach a variety of enrichment classes, ranging from the fine and applied arts to math and science, designed to challenge participants at all levels (K- 8th grade).  Students enrolled in GSU's Saturday School represent a diverse cross section of the metro-Atlanta community, coming from home schooling, private, and public schools experiences.  All classes are held on Georgia State's main campus in downtown Atlanta under the supervision of the Department of Early Childhood Education.  Our diverse curriculum is structured to offer educational opportunities emphasizing leadership, scholarship, and cultural awareness.
• www.Giftedatlanta.com   - select "summer programs"
• www.Tip.duke.edu/45gts (Duke University Talent Identification Program - TIP) - for 4^th and 5^th graders.  Application deadline is March 25^th. www.Giftedstudy.org   - SIG (Summer Institute for the Gifted) at Emory
• www.Gagc.org   (Georgia Association for the Gifted)  - select "resources" and "enrichment/Academic Opportunities"
• A list of Georgia Tech CEISMC Summer Camp sessions will be available on February 20th, 2011 by clicking here.

Many of these programs require test scores for enrollment.  We encourage you to use your child's TAG Eligibility Report which was signed when they were initially placed in the TAG program.  If you need another copy of your child's report, please contact us via email.

Karen Lowe & Mary Jo Malowney

Amana TAG Consultants

Be sure to visit the Amana Academy website on a regular basis for the latest information.

Do you still need to order your child a 2010-2011 Amana Academy yearbook, but you keep forgetting your checkbook?  Now you can order it online with your Visa or MasterCard.  The price is $30 per copy.  Please click here to the secure online ordering page at Entourage Yearbooks, Amana's yearbook vendor.  You must order by March 15th to ensure your child will receive their copy before the last day of school.  All yearbooks will be shipped to the school and then distributed in May.

Our next Open House is Saturday February 26th at 11:30 am.  Click

here to view the Open House flier; and please be sure to share this information with others you know who are interested in learning more about Amana.   

Help Amana reach its Box Tops earnings' goal this year!  Search your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer for all the Box Tops you have in your kitchen.  Then send them to school in a sealed baggie/envelope on or before February 25^th (collection box located in the front office).  This will give our PIE Fundraising coordinator time to collect, count and mail in our Box Tops before the February 28^th cutoff date.  Thank you for your continued support!

It costs you nothing except participation!  Listed on Amana's Indirect Fundraising page are the various ways you can help.  Schools the size of Amana often generate thousands of dollars a year by fully participating in indirect fundraising programs. REMEMBER - start participating NOW!  The potential for Amana is fantastic. T hese programs operate all year round and anyone can participate.  So pass the word on to friends, neighbors and relatives! If you have any questions, please contact our school Fundraising Chair, Mary Bass.

We are very fortunate to have the Verizon Fun Walk coming to our school on March 26th at 11am as a result of our parents who are Verizon employees. This is an excellent health-promoting fundraising opportunity for our school, as Verizon will match up to $10,000 in donations. 

We will send out more information regarding the Fun Walk in the coming weeks.  In the meantime ask your friends and family to make a pledge and participate!  All of the money that is collected for this event will support our future STEM Education initiatives.  

Your support in this endeavor in getting as many people signed up as possible will be greatly appreciated!

The Civil War came to life for eighth grade students as they visited the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History on Wednesday, February 9.  During their field study, students thoughtfully examined historical artifacts such as letters, clothing, and weapons.  They were also able to practice marching in formation and "firing" a weapon just like the soldiers in the Civil War would have done. Students will be using the historical details gathered during their field study to write a Civil War narrative and to further deepen their understanding of Georgia's role in the Civil War.

Fifth graders in Mrs. Reid's class have been preparing for the Georgia Writing Assessment by holding mock trials of the test.  Our students are learning to better manage their time and prepare their ideas and organization for this upcoming assessment on March 2, 2011.  Best wishes to all our students!

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.