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SOLI DEO GLORIA
NOV 10 - RSVP Deadline
NOV 13 - Thanksgiving Dinner
United Christian Academy
65 School Street, Newport, VT 05855
Email: unitedchristianacademy@comcast.net
Website: www.ucaeducation.org
(802) 334-3112 + Fax 334-2305
WEEKLY NEWS
November 6, 2014
2014-2015 Theme: RENEW
Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the
pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Then you will be
able to test and approve what
God's will is - His good,
pleasing, and perfect will.
TOMORROW
NIGHT
When? Friday, November 7th
Time? 5:00 to 7:00
Where? UCA Auditorium
We hope you will bring
your Lower School Student,
siblings and friends to this
fun filled time of face
painting, cookie decorating,
games, etc., sponsored by
the Senior Class.
We are asking
that each family
from the upper
school and lower
school bring a
bag of candy which can be
dropped off in the front
office ASAP.
There will be a $3 suggested donation
to benefit the senior class.
See reservation flyer below
Nov 10 & 11 Parent
Conferences-Note Time
Changes Below
Parent Conferences for Upper
School will be held on Monday and
Tuesday, November 10 and 11.
 On Monday the hours will
be from 5-7 PM.
 On Tuesday the hours will
be from 3-5 PM.
Lower School conferences will run
for the entire week as scheduled
with the parents and teachers.
Nov 11 - Veterans' Day
We will be having a special
20+- minute opening in the
morning in honor of Veterans' Day.
Mrs. Geib will be showing a
PowerPoint presentation which
will include photos of current
Veterans who have sent us their
picture along with their name,
rank, dates, etc. Of course, the
Veterans are also welcome to
attend.
Families can send in pictures
of family members and friends
who are current Veterans.
Please send photos and
information via email to
mgeib@ucaeducation.org
Nov 11 - North Woods Visit
The North Woods Stewardship
Center will be coming at 1:00 PM to
do an "All About Canid"
presentation to the Lower School.
We would like to thank the
members of the Newport Garden
Club for sponsoring the cost and are
pleased that the ladies of the club
will be here to join us for the
presentation.
Nov 11 - UCA Board Meeting
Meeting will be held at the Kuniholm
Education Center (KEC) on 11/11 at
6:00pm.
(See attachment below)
See reservation flyer below
Healthy Habits
Homework
I will do sit ups!
I will try to do
sit ups every day!
I will even
challenge my
friends to try
them with me!
I love doing sit
ups!
Submitted by P.E. Teacher Ms. Hoadley
Wish List
Mrs. Bickford - Grade 1Headphones for classroom and
two DVD's for the classroom
1. Josh and the Big Wall - Veggie Tales
2. The Prince of Egypt - Disney
Mrs. DeLaBruere - Art - We are
in need of jello or pudding boxes or
other boxes of similar shape.
Mrs. Lippmann -Science: A large
dorm size fridge for specimen storage.
Upcoming Calendar Events
Nov 10,11 Parent Teacher Conferences
Nov 11 - Veterans' Day SCHOOL's OPEN
Nov 13 - Thanksgiving Dinner
Grammar School: 11:00-12:15
Upper School: 12:15-12:45
Nov 26 - 1/2 Day T Day Vacation Begins
Nov 27,28 - Thanksgiving Vacation SCHOOL CLOSED
Dec. 11 - Upper School Christmas
Concert- Church of God at 7:00pm
Dec. 18 - Lower School Christmas
Concert - Cornerstone E. Free Church
at 7:00
Weekly Scripture
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does
not live on bread alone, but on every
word that comes from the mouth of God."
Mt 4:4
UCA Board Meeting
At UCA's next Board Meeting some clarifications, updates and minor changes to the UCA Constitution will be voted on.
Attached is the current language with the revisions noted. If you have questions or an interest in these changes please feel
free to attend the meeting so they can be addressed/discussed prior to final vote.
Farewells to Come
It is with deep regret that we announce that our 5th grade
teacher, Michele Geib, will not be returning for the second
semester of the 2014-2015 school year due to her
husband’s out of state military transfer. We do rejoice with
Michele and Kurt for this opportunity that has come their
way, but we are sad to see them go, along with their two
children, UCA students, Danielle and Nathanael. Michele’s
presence will certainly be missed at UCA. Though she joined
the faculty just last year, her contribution as a faculty
member has been significant. Michele brought a high quality
of teaching to the classroom and always modeled Godly
character to her colleagues and students. She will be missed. Please keep Michele and her family in
your prayers, as well as UCA, as we search for a candidate to take her place.
Here is the ad that you may see in the local papers or posted at your church.
United Christian Academy
65 School Street
Newport, VT 05855
(www.ucaeducation.org)
802-334-3112
Due to a faculty member’s military transfer, UCA is seeking
th
a full-time 5 grade teacher beginning in January, 2015.
We are committed to our students and
families to have teachers who:
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Agree with the UCA Statement of Faith as demonstrated
by life, word, and deed
Possess passion for learning and the gift of teaching
Partner with parents in the education of their children
Set an example of servant-leadership and work as a member of
an academic team
Love children and bring a desire to instruct and discipline
in a manner which encourages academic and personal
excellence
Have excellent interpersonal skills
Have excellent organizational skills
Have a minimum of a four year college degree
Please send a copy of your resume to:
United Christian Academy
Attn: Mr. David Strepka
65 School Street
Newport, VT 05855
Email: dstrepka@ucaeducation.org
United Christian Academy Welcomes New Head of School
United Christian Academy would like to welcome Mr. David
Strepka as our new Head of School. With over twenty-five
years of experience teaching and working with youth, he is
excited to be reunited with the excellent faculty, staff,
students and families at UCA. Mr. Strepka served as the
upper school math teacher from 1997 through 2007, then
moved to Massachusetts to pursue graduate studies. Mr.
Strepka has teaching experience in small, large, private and
public schools- and has also worked full-time as a youth
minister.
He is excited to be back in the NEK, an area he has always considered home, and looks
forward to moving UCA forward, as Newport faces an expected surge in growth over
the next several years. One of the greatest strengths that Mr. Strepka brings to this
position is his long-established passion for the school's faculty and families who have
built UCA’s outstanding reputation. He is enjoying getting to know each current
student, and looks forward to welcoming many new students and families into the UCA
family. Mr. Strepka is dedicated to strengthening the United Christian
Academy's commitment to academic excellence, personal and spiritual integrity, and
community service in the Newport area.
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Rod Ames said, "The Board of Directors is
very pleased to welcome Dave Strepka, and his family, back to our school. We look
forward to Mr. Strepka's leadership and Christian fellowship, as United Christian
Academy enters its 20th year." Long time friend, Mr. Jim Smith, who has taught
history at UCA for sixteen years, shared some thoughts about welcoming his former
colleague back as his new boss.
"I have known David Strepka for about sixteen years. We taught together for seven
years; and I remember many good times. We became friends, in and out of school; and
when he left, it was never the same. He has a true Christian heart and believes in the
school's mission and values. It's nice to see the changes taking place in the school and
know that you are among friends."
Mr. Strepka is joined by his wife, Kimberlee, and daughter, Madeline, who entered the
seventh grade, at UCA, this fall. The entire United Christian Academy community
would like to extend a warm welcome to the Strepka Family. Great things are expected
in the years to come; as we work together in partnership to provide our community with
a unique and distinctively Christian education alternative.
United Christian Academy Welcomes Back Kimberlee Strepka
United Christian Academy would like to welcome the return of
Mrs. Kimberlee Strepka as our music teacher. Kim, wife of
David Strepka, UCA’s new Head of School, has been teaching
music for more than twenty-five years and is teaching lower
school general music, handchimes, and handbells, as well as
two upper school handbell ensembles and concert chorus.
Kim comes to UCA with a Bachelor of Choral Music
Education from the Hartt School of Music, a Master of Music
from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and she is
currently a doctoral candidate in music education at Boston
University. She is a nationally-recognized clinician with the
Handbell Musicians of America and has done graduate work at the Choral Institute in
St. Moritz, Switzerland, and at the Laban/Barteneiff Institute of Movement Studies in
Manhattan.
Kim is the author of Handbell Artistry from the Inside Out: Laban Movement Theory
for the Handbell Musician (GIA, 2012), a text that has been praised by college
professors as a long-missing resource for handbells in academia. She is also a published
arranger, and collaborator with Dan Goeller Music.
Kim founded the handbell program at UCA in 1997 and by the year 2000 she had
established the Bronze Ambassadors, an advanced level handbell ensemble that toured
throughout the United States, performed on four television networks, and appeared at
regional and national handbell events. During those very special years, the
Ambassadors shared their gift of music twice at Ground Zero in NYC, at the Holocaust
Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, and at numerous churches, hospitals,
orphanages, and prisons.
UCA alumnus, Joshua Griffes, is now the school’s piano accompanist. Griffes shared,
"Kim is a hard-working, dedicated musician who loves to share her passion with her
students. I was a student under Kim for nine years and am now working beside her. I
have yet to know anyone who does not love her, and who has not benefited from her
teaching. Students blossom under Kim's direction and are motivated to always take
what they know and improve on it.”
Kim is excited to be back at UCA and to see what new adventures lie ahead for the
music students in the coming years. Kim has always considered the Northeast Kingdom
her home; and regards it a privilege to once again serve the families of United Christian
Academy.