The Franklin Academy
All School Franklin Academy Update for May 18 - May 22
Congratulations to our Alumni!
Class of 2020! Our 8th grade graduates who are now graduating from high school. We are so Proud of You!
Jack Cohenour
Jack attended St. Paul's Academy (now The Franklin Academy) from 1st -8th Grade. He is now graduating from Bellingham High School.
The All American High School Film Festival, recognized his talent, and invited him to showcase his other films in NYC!
Jack is heading to Chapman University in California to study Creative Producing at their acclaimed Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.
Max Suwarno
Max will be attending Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester Virginia to study Musical Theatre in the fall.
Intentional Learning Continues!
5th Grade Spanish Class is Reporting the Weather!
Sra. Lugo Shared:
"The 5th graders were engaged with their Weather Report Project the last three weeks. They became weather reporters and prepared a weather report for the current day and two more days in Spanish. They were creative and pulled props together to enhance their presentation.
We had the weather reported from Australia, India, Kawai, Antártica, the mountains of a fantasy book, and many other places. Their delivery in Spanish was outstanding. We even had a Lego movie!!! I’m so proud of all the students who put in the effort to complete and present their reports.
GREAT JOB 5th GRADERS!"
Kindergarten Writing and Science
Mrs. Yorks shared:
"In Kindergarten Science, we are thinking like biologists! Biologists think about how living things are alike and different. We made these pictures to share what we have learned about mammals, birds, and plants. Aren’t living things amazing?"
Milana' Venus Fly Trap!
Torin's Peacock!
Braden made a 3D animal picture for science class!
Torin created a nest for science class!
4th Grade Writing
Mrs. Misday’s 4th Grade Class: My 4th Grade students write three "quick writes" a week. I give them a starter and they run with it. We will feature two a week for the next few weeks.
Enjoy!
Kasia's Quick Write!
She turned, walking toward the tiny, twisty pathway, heading to the outskirts of the village where the dragons lived. Everything was on fire all the time and it was a very dangerous place. The girl went over to one of the dragons, who was eating a goat. She went up to him and said, “I need your help”. The dragon said to the girl,” What would you want with me?”. She lifted her off her hood and said,” I am princess Ruby of the Equestrians, and I want the throne”.
This was the day that was to have been our last day traveling westward on the spaceship, when suddenly many unsettling things were seen floating outside the ship. Their hopes were shattered when they realized that they were being followed. The tarrions were near, somewhere, planning to attack. They moved the ship faster, but it was too late. The lightspeed controls were severely damaged, and the enemy had already started the attack. No one could have known who won, and none of them were alive to tell. Would they have survived? Or will we never see them again?
Kasia
Kaden's Quick Write!
Wisps of fog clung like tattered rags to the trees and the forest cleared. But the trees were so thick that the morning sun barely touched the ground. The pelican, a plane like the E-6 survival Mercury plane hovered over the forest, searching for a patrol of UNSC (the United Nations Space Command) marines gone missing the day before. The last communication from Alpha Squad, a commando squad, was “We are lost. We need help!”. Master Chief, the only spartan, (a super soldier) after an attack on base, dropped into the swamp and trudged through the knee deep sludge and saw a turret and some crashed ships. He looked around some more and saw Alpha Squad had come out of the bushes. “Let’s go home back to base,” replied a soldier. Everyone agreed. They all radioed the Pelican and went home. “How did you get lost?” The Master Chief asked. “We were attacked and we fought them off, but we had been backed up to a bush near those ships by then,” replied the captain. “Oh.” The Master chief said. This conservation continued until they got back to base safe and sound.
Kaden
Follow Your Dreams - 5th Grade Google Drawings
Ms. Mcdonnell shared:
To follow this learning, the 5th graders created their own dreams poster using Google Drawings. Each student wrote about and illustrated three dreams that they have in their own lives.
Here are four student samples!
Some other amazing dreams that students had were as follows: start a YouTube channel, baker, author, traveling the world, donating to stop animal abuse, appear on T.V., career protecting people, live in another country, own a lion cub, travel to see a family member's grave, live in a lake house, have a puppy, build a car, own a mountain bike, own a second robot, have an art studio and special art supplies, be a make-up artist, be a musician, save animals, own a make-up business, supply shelter for people who have none, meet a celebrity, and more!
We have some VERY thoughtful and reflective students at The Franklin Academy!"
Springtime Celebrations!
Spring is a time for celebrating! Many of us celebrated Easter last month, but how many of you know what other holidays are being celebrated by our own Franklin Academy families this time of year? Over the next few weeks we will get a glimpse into Passover, Ramadan, Nowruz, and Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations.
One of the great things about our diverse and inclusive school is how much we can learn from each other. We are excited to celebrate the varying religious and cultural identities of all of the families at The Franklin Academy. As we learn about others, our lives are enriched.
Greek Orthodox Easter
Greek Orthodox Easter
Nadia Boulos shared:
As Greek Orthodox, we celebrated Easter on April 19 this year, one week after American Easter is celebrated. The reason for that is because Eastern Christianity follows the Julian calendar, as opposed to the Gregorian calendar which is widely used by most countries today. Great Britain changed to the Gregorian calendar in 1752. Russia – as well as other Balkan, Middle Eastern and former Soviet countries – also observe the Julian calendar and celebrate a later Easter.
Easter is the biggest holiday of the year for us. In the eyes of the Greek Orthodox Church, it is an honor to commemorate the fact that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. After forty days of fasting and prayer, we celebrate by breaking the fast with a series of traditions:
Christ is Risen!
It is a common tradition to greet each other by uttering the words “Christos Anesti” (Greek), or “Al masih kam” (Arabic), or “Christ is risen” (English) at Easter, to which you respond respectively by “Allithos Anesti” (Greek), or “Hakkan Kam” (Arabic), or “Truly He is risen” (English). The first time this is said is after midnight on Easter Day, usually during the evening church service.
Attending Church
Preparation for Pascha (Easter) begins at the start of Great Lent. We fast and pray regularly during the forty days of lent and also during Holy Week. The church services that take place on Good Friday and Holy Saturday are the most important ones. During the Good Friday service, parishioners and clergy don black clothes (as you would for a funeral) and revisit the events of the day through the public reading of specific Psalms and the Gospels, and singing hymns about Christ's death. On Holy Saturday, the service starts around 10:30pm. Just before midnight, the church goes completely dark. After midnight, the church lights up with candlelight as people light their tapers from their neighbor’s and begin chanting “Christos Anesti.” The traditional hymn is also sung. Translated, it means “Christ is risen from the dead. By his death, he has trampled down death. To those in the tomb he gave eternal life.” This hymn is sung for several weeks after Easter during the church services.
Easter Sunday’s Early Meal
After fasting for 40 days from meat and dairy, we are eager to break our fast right after we get home from the Holy Saturday church service. For Greeks, the traditional dish to serve during this meal is magaritsa, which is a soup that is made from the organs of the lamb that will be prepared for the main feast. For Lebanese, we prepare raw meat dishes. The most famous is Kibbeh Nayeh, a mixture of ground lamb and fine burghul (cracked wheat) and Kasbeh Nayeh or raw lamb liver. The raw meat is safe to eat because it is not bought from regular stores; we usually have organic lamb humanely raised prepared specifically for this feast.
Red Dyed Easter Eggs
Greeks dye eggs in red mainly not pastel colors. The red color represents the blood of Christ, shed on the Cross, and the hard shell of the egg symbolizes the sealed Tomb of Christ.
Our Traditions
In our household, we still dye eggs in pastel colors; a tradition carried over from Lebanon. We also follow the tradition of cracking the eggs on Easter (symbolizing Christ’s resurrection from the dead).
Roasted Lamb
Roasted lamb is the traditional meat of choice on the Greek Easter table. It is normally seasoned and prepared on a spit, or souvla. The reason why this is served is because according to the Apostle John, Jesus is the Lamb of God. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Eating lamb honors this. At St Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, we attend an annual Easter picnic, where families gather and roast lamb.
Tsoureki – Greek Easter Bread
Another dish that is present at the Greek Easter table is tsoureki, the traditional sweet bread. You’ll recognize this bread because it will likely have a red Easter egg baked right in the center. This bread contains several ingredients that were forbidden during Great Lent such as eggs, butter, and sugar.
Thank you Nadia for that wonderful look into Greek Orthodox Easter!
YEARBOOKS ARE ON SALE NOW!
The Franklin Academy yearbook is student designed and student led. The 2019-2020 yearbook features 44 pages of colorful memories of Preschool to 8th grade students, teachers, staff and activities through March 7th.
Yearbooks will be distributed during the “drive through” events on June 15th and 16th.
Order Online at:
https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E85646&id=30
Guess Who! Can you match the teacher or staff member with their picture from childhood?
Karalee Stokes
Barbara Misday
Heather Black
Welcome to "Deep Thoughts with Chaplain Aaron!"
Hello staff, students, and parents of Franklin Academy!
You Are Loved!! We Miss You!!
This week's "Deep Thoughts with Chaplain Aaron" has a cool treat, a message from the teachers and staff of school.
Our theme over the last few weeks has been the different ways we might receive or show love, and this week we consider the love of our school community.
The week's discussion question is: "What do you love about your school?"
Have a great week!
~Aaron
Library Book Deliveries!
Thanks for getting books out to all of our avid readers. No contact deliveries - Woo hoo!
A Sample of Fun Learning Videos!
Amazon Smile
If you shop at Amazon.com, this is a great opportunity to raise money for Franklin Academy. Sign up at Amazon Smile and 0.5% of your purchase price will go towards the FA Annual Fund. Here’s how:
- Go to Amazon Smile
- In the “pick your own charitable organization” box type in Franklin Preschool
- Click on the Bellingham Franklin Academy (may still be listed under St. Paul’s Episcopal School through the summer)
- Very Important! Please make sure whenever you shop on Amazon you go to the Amazon Smile webpage. If you shop on Amazon.com we won’t receive the donation.
Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 Newsletters - Click Below
The Franklin Academy
Website: https://thefranklin.academy/
Location: 1509 East Victor Street, Bellingham, WA, USA
Phone: (360) 733-1750
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranklinAcademyBellingham/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel&eid=ARBJZqnuWM2fzJSJOXO6X6qVO60w_ijnQdCgtmUFYZCSwnd0NO7wI_Jgq5_odVo2A3bLV76Yg91UH5TB
The Franklin Academy Points of Contact
Katie den Hartog, Associate Head of School, kdenhartog@thefranklin.academy
Dawn Regier, Administrative Assistant, dregier@thefranklin.academy
Rachel Lee, Administrative Assistant, rlee@thefranklin.academy
Sue Ann Crockett, Administrative Assistant, scrockett@thefranklin.academy
Theresa Wines, Registrar, twines@thefranklin.academy
Natalie Bennett, Admissions Director, nbennett@thefranklin.academy