LOA Students Win Big At The Annual Georgia National Fair Art Exhibit

Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) traveled to Perry, Georgia for the Georgia National Fair (GNF) Art Expo where they had 50 art pieces on display in the exhibition. Each year, GNF opens the art contest to all schools in Georgia where budding artists vie for top prizes in six different categories. Not only do the students receive ribbons for 1st-3rd place but also monetary awards: 1st- $25, 2nd - $20, and 3rd - $15 while Best In Category receives an additional $25 and a rosette. Best In Show receives $100!

There are six different categories to highlight the various artistic skills: Drawing, Painting, Other Types of 2D Art, Photography, Sculpture, and Other Types of 3D Art. In addition, there are classes within each category. This allows for a wide variety of artists to participate and show off their artistic skills.

This year, Mrs. Debbie Vogel, LOA Upper School Art Teacher, and Mrs. Amanda Stewart, LOA Middle School Art teacher, had 32 high school students submit 50 art pieces - the maximum amount allowed to be submitted. With a short notice of approval of participation for the Middle School Art students, Middle School had 11 exhibitors with 16 entries. The Middle School Art Department looks forward to having a stronger showing in future years as they’re only recently able to participate.  Vogel stated, “I am proud of all our students for submitting work to the Georgia National Fair youth exhibit. It is such a good experience for students to see their work hung among other artists in the state and it is particularly satisfying to earn an award.”

LOA had many successes at the Art Exhibit, taking home awards in various categories:

HIGH SCHOOL

11th/12th Grade

●      Maddie Cummings: 1st place - Water Media Painting

●      Irem Erturk: 2nd place - Water Media Painting

●      Naomi Tovar: 2nd place – Pencil

●      Marley Beeker: 3rd place - Sculpture Other

9th/10th Grade

●      Avery Sanders: 2nd place - Printmaking

●      Leighann Padgett: 2nd place - Paper Mache

●      Lexi Sangam: 2nd place - Pencil Drawing

●      Valaria Martinez-Arguelles: 1st place and “Best of Category” - Colored Photography

●      Blakely Cantrell: 2nd place - Black and White Photography

●      Ben Reber: Honorable Mention - Colored Photography

(L to R): Ben Reber, Irem Erturk, Marley Beeker, Mrs. Vogel, Madison Cummings, Naomi Tovar, Valeria Martinez-Arguelies

MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SCULPTURE STUDENTS

8th Grade (High School Art l Class)

●      Kira Delgado-Schelmetty: 1st place - Printmaking

●      Audrey Lowe: 2nd place - Printmaking

●      Yamily Perez: 2nd place - Ceramic Sculpture

7th Grade

●      Maddie Moon: 2nd place - Wire/Wood Sculpture

●      Roland Bryant: 3rd place - Clay Sculpture

9th/10th

●      Maggie Wilson: 1st place - Wire/Wood sculpture

●      Rilan Hudgins: 1st place - Wire/Wood Sculpture

●      Blakely Cantrell: 2nd place - Wire/Wood Sculpture

●      Linda Cason: 2nd place - Wire/Wood Sculpture

(L to R): Avery Sanders, Audrey Lowe, Mrs. Amanda Stewart, Roland Bryant, Maddie Moon, Kira Delgado-Schelmetty

The art exhibits stay on display the duration of the fair hosted every October. Thousands of people peruse the Miller-Murphey-Howell building to see the incredibly talented students across the state of Georgia each year. For young artists, it is a real opportunity to display their hard work.

The Georgia National Fair is a state-sponsored fair that is held every October on the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry, Georgia. This is the 34th year in existence. It offers a wide range of activities and shows - including agricultural, livestock and horse shows, home and fine arts competitions, youth organization events, a circus, rides, a wide variety of fair food, and concerts boasting big name entertainers.

Lake Oconee Academy Honors Hispanic Heritage Month With Night Of Celebration

September 15, 2023 - October 15, 2023 Hispanic Heritage Month  and Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) celebrated with a night dedicated to exploring the delicacies and culture of various spanish speaking countries around the world.  

Students, parents, staff, and more were invited to attend the Inaugural LOA Hispanic Heritage Night to get a taste of authentic Hispanic food as well as explore the many different cultures within the Hispanic and Latino communities.

“Lake Oconee Academy has a very diverse student body. The Hispanic/Latino community has roots from many countries,” says Spanish teacher, Mrs. Lizette Delgado. “I wanted my students to learn the significant contributions the Hispanic/Latino Americans have made in the United States.” Delgado’s enthusiasm led to a night of celebration that proved to be even more of a success than expected. Mrs. Delgado enlisted the help of Mrs. Tabitha Mancil, LOA teacher, who quickly began rallying the help of the Hispanic parent body to bring this event together.

The enthusiasm and pride shined bright! Hispanic parents and students from LOA’s Parent Teacher Committee shared their countries, culture, and roots through food, dance and authentic crafts. Families represented the countries of Mexico, Peru, Columbia, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, and Guatemala. Participating families decorated with flags, banners, tablecloths, and more - giving attendees an experience to be remembered.

Hispanic Heritage Month was incorporated into the classroom, as well. English Speaking of  Other Languages (ESOL) teacher,  Mrs. Shannon Hooks planned lessons throughout the month, teaching students about influential people, art, and stories of Hispanic culture. Several elementary students created a collaborative project, and kindergarten students made individual art pieces to contribute to the night of celebration.

Dr. Beverly Montgomery, LOA Upper School Director, shared her delight for the event, “I was thrilled when Mrs. Delgado informed me that the Hispanic/Latino members of our Titan Family wanted to host an event where we could celebrate and taste different cultures represented in our school and fellowship with our families, faculty and staff.  The food was outstanding, and the company was even better!"

Hispanic/Latino parents, teachers, and students alike beamed with pride and excitement as they shared their wonderful culture with others while attendees relished in the amazing food and culture. “If you missed this event, you missed out on some delicious food, an amazing sense of community and some of the most gracious hospitality I have ever seen at any school,” expressed LOA teacher, Mr. Eric Harper.

The success and excitement of this first ever Hispanic Heritage Night has only reinforced the hard work that went into planning the event. What started as an idea Mrs. Delgado had been dreaming of  became an event that will “no doubt be bigger and better next year!” Hispanic Heritage Night will now be celebrated as an annual event during Hispanic Heritage Month at Lake Oconee Academy for years to come.

Lake Oconee Academy Given Gold Honor Roll Distinction In Advanced Placement® Program School

L to R: Austin Marshall (AP Student), Mrs. Mandy Lipscomb, Dylan Phenix (AP Student), and Ben Leach (AP Student)

College Board announced that Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) has been named to the Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) School Honor Roll, earning Gold distinction.

The AP® School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness.

Last year, LOA had 75% of its seniors who took at least one AP exam during high school, 63% of seniors scoring a three or higher on at least one AP exam, while 31% of seniors took five or more AP exams!

●      LOA CURRENTLY OFFERS 22 AP COURSES

●      29 SECTIONS ARE TAUGHT PRESENTLY

●      14 TEACHERS AT LOA TEACH AN AP COURSE

LOA Executive Director Dr. Brad Bowling expressed his enthusiasm and pride in receiving this recognition, “I am incredibly proud of our school community for being recognized with this honor. This prestigious recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and staff. It reflects our commitment to academic excellence and our support for advanced placement programs.”

From the perspective of an AP Human Geography and AP United States History teacher, Mrs. Mandy Lipscomb expressed the importance of Advanced Placement, “AP classes provide students with a great opportunity to kick-start their post-secondary plans. These courses are rigorous, and students learn to develop higher level critical thinking skills by emphasizing analysis and evaluation. This is very difficult for most students, but in the AP classroom, students are able to work closely with an AP teacher to develop and collect the necessary tools to problem solve. AP students exhibit motivation, reliability, and maturity to work independently - all of which provide a firm foundation for success in the post-secondary arena.”

“AP represents an opportunity for students to stand out to colleges, earn college credit and placement, and potentially boost their grade point averages,” said Trevor Packer, head of the AP program. “The schools have shown that they can expand access to these college-level courses and still drive high performance — they represent the best of our AP program.”

A Note From Nurse Jessica - It's Flu Shot Season!

It’s that time of the year again!!! Flu shot season!! 

We are happy to be hosting the Greene County Health Department on Thursday, October 5th for our annual Flu Shot Clinic.  

If you are interested in your child(ren) receiving a flu shot during the clinic, please fill out both forms attached and return to me (hard copies or via email).  

Deadline for form submission: September 28th (no forms will be accepted after this date) The forms are provided in English and Spanish.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Kind Regards, 

Jessica Tolbert, RN

Lake Oconee Academy

School Nurse

Phone: 706-454-1562

Fax: 706-453-1773

jessica.tolbert@lakeoconeeacademy.org

The Book Fair Comes to LOA!

LOA's Fall Book Fair will take place September 18-22! 📚 Click here to view classroom viewing times: https://bit.ly/3LlWg9w

Payment options: eWallets are amazing! eWallets provide electronic forms of payment that generate through the Scholastic registers. eWallets = no lost money. Cash is accepted and parents may use credit cards!

Create an eWallet: https://bit.ly/48h4iKE

Prizes will be given to our fantastic staff members throughout the week. Two of those prizes with be awarded to two elementary homeroom teachers that have classes with the most EWallets created.

Volunteer slots are still open! Please consider signing up. Click here to volunteer: https://bit.ly/3Lm863y

LOA Homecoming 2023

The LOA Events Class is excited to announce Homecoming 2023 - LOA's Got Game!

The week is filled with many fun events for our High School Students with a few for everyone sprinkled in!!!  We hope that you will have an opportunity to join us!  Read about the week below!  Here's a Google Doc for any updates!  

Door Decorating - Judging: September 29, 2023
We invite all Homeroom (Advisory) Classrooms to decorate their classroom doors this year in the Homecoming Theme: LOA’s Got Game. All Classrooms can choose their own game (board, video, etc.)  to represent your door.  (Talk amongst your grade level to make sure no games are duplicated in your grade level.) 
 
Doors should be decorated by Noon on September 29th for judging.  Click on the rubric to see how doors will be judged! Winners will receive an ice cream or breakfast.  

INFORMATION ON DRESS UP DAYS
Dress Up Days will be for High School Students Only.  Middle and Elementary Students may participate on Friday’s Titan Spirit Day.  

High School Students, please remember, Dress Up Days are just that DRESS UP.  We understand that some of these days lend themselves to casual attire such as t-shirts and jeans, but we ask that you make it obvious that you are participating.  You can do that by doing something with your hair, make up, or adding accessories. Dress Up Days are not required, but if you choose not to participate, you should be in your regular school uniform.  Short/Skirt Lengths should be at Fingertips! All clothing must be SCHOOL APPROPRIATE (No Drug, Alcohol, Sexual, Political References or anything degrading towards anyone else) .  No Skin Tight Clothing.  Nothing too revealing.  Undergarments should be covered. If leggings are worn, shirts or shorts must cover.   If any students choose to dress inappropriately, they will be sent home as an unexcused absence.  Unexcused Absence = Zero for Grades - No Makeups.  Once again, we want you to have fun and be creative, but it needs to be appropriate.  

SIGN UP FOR ALL ACTIVITIES HERE! (Games, Float Help, etc.)

SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK

Friday September 29, 2023
Gold PM Advisement - Float Prep @ LOA

Saturday September 30, 2023
9:00 - 1:00 - Float Prep @ LOA

Sunday October 1, 2023
1:00 - 6:00 - Float Prep @ LOA
6:00 PM - Homecoming Kickoff - Powder Puff Football 

Who: High School Students will sign up to participate in the Powder Puff (Flag) Football Game.  We will need 10 Girls and 7 Boys from each grade.  The girls will play flag football, while the boys will cheer and coach them on from the sideline.   The entire Titan Community is invited to watch!   

Where: Tucker Field

Game 1 -  Juniors vs Sophomores
Game 2 - Seniors vs Freshmen
Game 3 - Losers 1 vs Losers 2
Game 4 - Winners 1 vs Winners 2
Game 5 - Winner 3 vs Loser 4
Game 6 - Winner 4 vs Faculty

Blue Day Advisement Schedule for Middle and High School 
Middle and High School will run an Advisement Schedule for the week of October 2-6, 2023.  High School Students will report to the Homecoming Activity Location during Advisement.  Middle School will report to their Advisement.  

Monday Oct 2, 2023 
Scrabble: Dress as something with the first letter of your first name.

Advisement - Activity - Homecoming Parade 
Various Groups, Teams and High School Classes will decorate vehicles (Floats, Golf Carts, Trucks, etc.) to ride in the parade.  SGA Class Presidents will head up their Grade Level Float.  Any students interested in riding on the grade level float must help in the construction/decoration of said float.  The Homecoming Court will be featured as well!  The whole Titan Community is invited to come and watch the parade!  Sign up on the activities link above to help! 

Tuesday Oct 3, 2023 
Guess Who: Rhyme without Reason - Find a partner and dress as two words that rhyme - examples: Butterfly and Super Spy; Aquatic and Patriotic, Tinker Bell + Taco Bell, Buzz Lightyear + Sightseer

Advisement - Daily Competition: Speed Volleyball Tournament - (6 person teams) 5 Min - The team to score the most points wins. 

Game 1 -  Juniors vs Sophomores
Game 2 - Seniors vs Freshmen
Game 3 - Losers 1 vs Losers 2
Game 4 - Winners 1 vs Winners 2
Game 5 - Winner 3 vs Loser 4
Game 6 - Winner 4 vs Faculty

High School Students will sign up to participate in the daily activities!   

Wednesday Oct 4, 2023
Game of Life: Dress as Future Career

Advisement - Daily Competition: Dodgeball Tournament  5 min timer - move to volleyball line
Game 1 -  Juniors vs Sophomores
Game 2 - Seniors vs Freshmen
Game 3 - Losers 1 vs Losers 2
Game 4 - Winners 1 vs Winners 2
Game 5 - Winner 3 vs Loser 4
Game 6 - Winner 4 vs Faculty

High School Students will sign up to participate in the daily activities! 

6:00 PM - Clash of the Titans - Titan Trivia and Challenges - Titan Center
Titan Trivia and Challenges (Trivia with Minute to Win It Challenges Mixed together!) 6 Person Teams

High School Students will sign up for a grade level team.  6 people per team - The teams will be determined randomly by who is signed up.  

Thursday Oct 5, 2023
Hay Day vs Subway Surfer: Farmers vs Skaters

Advisement - Activity -  Table Surfing - Obstacle Course - Subway Surfer/Hay Day Theme

Friday Oct 6, 2023

Battleship (Battle of the Classes - Titan Spirit Day) 
High School wear your Class Color!
12th Grade - Black
11th Grade - Royal
10th Grade - Gold
9th Grade - White
Elementary and Middle School Students, show us your Titan Spirit and dress in school colors that day!!! 

  
Advisement - Pep Rally on Football Field - 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
The Pep Rally will announce Homecoming Court and all Fall Sports in addition to final grade level games and the announcing of the Spirit Stick Winners! 

Schedule for Friday: 
1st Block - 7:40 - 8:45
2nd Block - 8:50 - 9:55
10:00 - 11:05 - Homecoming Pep Rally on Football Field
Normal Advisory Schedule 

Saturday October 7, 2023 
Titan Center 
8:00 - 10:00 
Tickets - $15
Purchase Tickets at loastore.org TILL SEPTEMBER 29. 

Everyone must purchase a ticket to enter.  Tickets are on sale till September 29.  ABSOLUTELY NO TICKETS OR FORMS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE 29TH!  This is a FIRM DEADLINE!  Only 9th-12th Grade Students or Guests that have graduated but under the age of 21. Any Non-LOA Guests must complete a Dance Guest Form and have submitted by September 29, 2023. Guests must also bring identification to check in the night of the dance. 

We will be updating that Google Doc  with additional links and information as we finalize all the plans, so make sure to check back!  

News From the LOA Board of Governors - August Edition

We hope your school year is off to a great start! The Lake Oconee Academy Board of Governors held its monthly meeting on Monday, August 7th. We want to share some highlights with you:

●     LOA Waiting List - There are currently 355 students on the waiting list.

 ●     Charter Renewal Update - The LOA BOG approved LOA to send over its responses to the request for clarification from the Greene County School System. For more information regarding the charter renewal, please visit the Charter Renewal Resource Center located on the Charter Schools Tab on the LOA website and Quick Link at the top of the website.

●     Alternative Education Program was approved to be sent to GADOE- More information about this program can be found here.

●     Discussion of the Cognia Accreditation - LOA is currently going through the process of accreditation through the accreditation agency, Cognia. On their website, Cognia shares, “For more than 125 years, schools have been inviting Cognia and our legacy agencies, NCA CASI, NWAC, and SACS CASI, into their classrooms. Why? Because we go beyond evaluating school quality. We provide trusted expertise and actionable ideas that move the needle on school quality."

○     Accreditation is the launchpad for school improvement. Based on rigorous research-based standards and evidence-based criteria, the process probes the whole institution—from policies to learning conditions and cultural context—to determine how well the parts work together to meet the needs of every learner.

○     Accreditation isn’t about passing a one-time inspection—it helps education providers meet improvement goals and sustain commitments to better learner outcomes.

○     Cognia identifies schools and systems that best exemplify excellence in education and stand out in the service to learners based on the results of our rigorous accreditation process, as stated on their website. For more information on the accreditation process, please visit cognia.org. As a part of the accreditation process, a Cognia team will do a virtual site visit on Tuesday, November 28th.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach the LOA Board of Governors by emailing LOABOG@lakeoconeeacademy.org.

We are ONE TITAN!

To view the August newsletter online, please click here: https://conta.cc/3E0T1jM

Lake Oconee Academy Named National Beta School of Merit

Lake Oconee Academy is proud to announce its recognition as a 2022-2023 National Beta School of Merit. The school earned this acknowledgement by offering National Beta to all eligible grades on their campus. National Junior Beta includes grades 4-8 and National Senior Beta includes grades 9-12.

The National Beta School of Merit award is given to honor a club’s dedication and commitment to academic excellence. To achieve this prestigious honor, a school must include members from all eligible grade levels in their Beta club. This year, only 3,583 Beta Clubs across the country received this award.

Lake Oconee Academy’s Executive Director, Dr. Brad Bowling, Ed.D., shared his sentiments, “We are honored to have been selected as a National Beta School of Merit. It is a reflection of our Beta Club students’ efforts not only in achieving academically, but also in developing character through service and leadership among their peers and in our community.”

LOA Beta, along with its sponsors, LOA Faculty - Kris Stevens and Teena Garland, carried out numerous undertakings in the 2022-2023 school year. The projects included trash pickup, canned food collection, toy collection, and a highly successful blood drive. These have provided LOA Beta with distinguished accomplishments, including the following:

●      Through the annual event of Rivers Alive, Beta members helped clear trash from the waterways of Greene and Putnam counties.

●      Approximately 2,000 cans were collected in the school-wide canned food drive to benefit Greene County Food Pantry.

●      Nearly 100 coats were collected in the school-wide Coat Drive to assist Greene County residents who were in need of harsh winter protection.

●      150 handmade, holiday and Valentine’s cards were made for the residents of local assisted living facilities; additionally, members spent time with the residents and helped assist in holiday activities.

●      Beta Club members staffed LOA concession stands for every home basketball game.

●      Beta Club partnered with the American Red Cross to host a community blood drive; Beta members facilitated and provided donors with thank you cards.

To commemorate the accomplishments of LOA Beta, the LOA Beta Officers state:

“We have much more to accomplish; however, through service initiatives and continued vigor to serve, LOA Senior Beta Club members have developed a sense of leadership and devotion toward the community. As the tide shifts to the next school year, we anticipate an even brighter future that encompasses a multitude of opportunities to carry on the principles of a Beta member. ‘Let us lead by serving others’, our guiding principle acts as a catalyst as we lead every service event in our school and community. The wealth of knowledge and experience acquired through our work in the 2022-2023 school year demonstrates our capability to perform but also serves to further our goal of advancing our community through both service and leadership.”

About National Beta  
With more than 500,000 active members and 9,000 chapters nationally and internationally, National Beta has become the nation’s largest independent, non-profit, educational youth organization. National Beta recognizes outstanding achievement, promotes character and social responsibility, encourages service involvement to school and community, and fosters leadership skills. The National Beta program offers over $300,000 annually to its Senior Beta Members. Visit betaclub.org for more information.