The Sword and Shield
GCA Crusader News • Tuesday, July 7, 2020
2020-2021 School Year Updates
This has been a time of great uncertainty, but I am excited to finally share some news about the upcoming school year with you!
GCA plans to begin school as scheduled on Wednesday, August 19.
Although we are unsure of what the future holds, Virginia has entered phase 3 of the recovery plan and Gateway is prepared to have in-person school as originally planned. There will be a few changes to our day-to-day operations (we will be avoiding large gatherings of students like chapel and morning assemblies along with spacing a little more than usual in the classrooms), but we are excited to have the opportunity to educate students in person once again.
S. Jeff Postlewaite
Head of School
Below you will find some more information that will help you to plan for the upcoming school year.
New Uniform Options
Along with the great selection of uniform pants, shirts, jumpers, and skirts at Flynn O’Hara, we are excited to be able to offer our parents and students the opportunity to wear pants from other retailers this year.
You can see the new options listed on the GCA Uniform Guide.
Elementary Student Handbook
Below is a list of changes that are in effect for this year:
♦ Alternative pants options added (pg. 10)
♦ Outerwear options expanded (pg. 11)
♦ Lunch Program updated to include MySchoolAccount (pg. 13)
♦ Field Trips- fees added to FACTS account (pg. 13)
♦ Afternoon Pickup- wording clarified to reflect best practices (pg. 14)
Secondary Student Handbook
Below is a list of changes that are in effect for this year:
♦ Dress Code- Alternative pants option added (pg. 14)
♦ Dress Code- Outerwear options expanded (pg. 15 and 17)
♦ Excused tardies clarified (pg. 8)
♦ Digital Technology Resources and Personal Electronic Devices policy updated (pg. 19-20)
♦ Lunch Program updated to include MySchoolAccount (pg. 20)
♦ Field Trips- fees added to FACTS account (pg. 20)
♦ Afternoon Pickup- wording clarified to reflect best practices (pg. 21)
2020-2021 Academic Calendar
New Student/Parent High School Orientation
Tuesday, August 11 @ 6:00 pm
All high school students who are new to GCA and all GCA freshmen should plan to attend this evening. We will learn how to thrive in high school, talk about building a great high school transcript, and hear about many opportunities available to GCA’s high school students. We will also discuss ways that GCA’s high school students can be exemplary leaders in our community.Opening Night
Sunday, August 16 (TBD)
We have left GCA’s Opening Night on the calendar for now, but we are unsure if we will be able to have this time of celebration and prayer in person this year. We will keep you informed via email and our facebook page.
First Day of School
Wednesday, August 19
School begins at 8:20 am. Students may go directly to their classrooms at 8:00. Students arriving earlier than that will need to report to before care in the school cafeteria. We plan to allow parents to accompany their students to their classrooms for the first day.Traffic Pattern for Drop Off and Pick Up
Although you will receive more information regarding school practices in the coming weeks, you can help us have a safe and smooth first week by familiarizing yourself with the drop-off and pickup traffic patterns on pages 14-15 of the Elementary Student Handbook and pages 21-22 of the Secondary Student Handbook.
The primary point you should remember is that traffic in either pickup/dropoff lane moves only one direction.
Parent/Student Orientation
Tuesday, August 25
We are working out plans to allow you to meet your teachers and get the information you need in a safe and responsible manner by observing all health and social distancing guidelines. You will be asked to sign up for specific times slots in order to limit the number of people gathering together. Look for this information to be emailed to you by Friday, August 14.Gateway Christian Academy
Email: pwerner@gatewaycrusaders.com
Website: gatewaycrusaders.com
Location: 5473 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
Phone: (757) 499-6551
Facebook: facebook.com/gatewaycrusaders