Middle School Key Dates and Info for the Start of School

Posted on August 8th, 2018 by Allendale Columbia School

Dear Middle School Parents,

For those of you who are new to the Allendale Columbia family, we hope this message finds you excited about the new start in September. We are thrilled that you are joining us. For returning families, we hope you have had a relaxing break, and are starting to ponder what it will feel like to start another school year soon. We have been working extremely hard to prepare the school for the students’ return in September.

In this letter, you will find the following:

  • Key dates coming up in August and September. Some of these dates will apply to all Middle School families, and some will only apply to certain grade levels, and this should be clear below.
  • Key pieces of information, including a list of resources and places where you will find everything you need for a smooth start.

Key Dates

  • August 24th (5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.): Lower School and Middle School Welcome Back Picnic – This event will take place at King’s Bend Park in Pittsford. Click here for more details about this event.
  • August 28th (6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.): Parent Orientation – This event is for all 6th grade parents who are new to the Middle School division and all parents of new students at any Middle School grade level. We look forward to meeting you at this event. This gathering is not for Middle School students, but for their parents to ask questions, learn about the upcoming school year, and socialize with each other.
  • August 27th: Modified Sports Begin – Practice times and campus locations vary for each sport. For detailed information about athletics, please visit www.hacathletics.org or reach out to Ray Istas at ristas@allendalecolumbia.org.
  • September 4th (11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.): New Student Orientation – This event is for all incoming 6th grade students as well as any students who are new in 7th or 8th grade. It is for students only, and parents can drop their students off at the Welcome Desk area at 11:25 a.m. During this event, students will practice their schedule, meet their teachers, meet their advisor, practice opening their lockers, as well as get their questions answered prior to the first day of school. Students should dress for the weather, wear shoes that are comfortable to walk in, and can bring in items that they want to use to decorate the inside of their locker if they would like (please note that decorating lockers is not required or expected). A pizza lunch will be provided by our kitchen staff.
  • September 5th: First Day of School for Grades K-12 – There is supervision for Middle School students starting at 7:30 a.m., and students are allowed in the Library, Dining Commons, courtyard, and Middle School hallway before school. The school day starts at 8:15 a.m. in the Middle School Space and classes begin at 8:20 a.m. General dismissal takes place at 3:00 p.m.
  • September 17th (6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.): Middle School Parents’ Night – This event provides an opportunity to meet the Middle School faculty, ask questions about curriculum, and hear more about our academic program. This event will start at 6:30 p.m. in the Dining Commons, and appetizers will be available. We hope you will join us to learn more about what we are doing in our classes. This is also the first opportunity to sign up for conference times in November. This event is open to all Middle School parents, and students are encouraged to attend with their parents and function as tour guides.

Key Pieces of Information

  • MyAllendaleColumbia.org: Also referred to as MyAC, this is the one stop online place for all AC-related information. It can be accessed by going to www.myallendalecolumbia.org.
  • Summer Reading: Please follow this link to find out more about summer reading assignments.
  • Supply Lists: Please click on the following links for access to the list that applies to your student’s grade level: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade.
  • The Birches: This incredible resource is where all of the school announcements are published. You can subscribe to this list, so that you are emailed any time something new is published. It can be found on MyAC or by following this link.
  • Formal Dance Instruction and Etiquette Class (for 5th and 6th graders only): AC’s annual Formal Dance Instruction and Etiquette Class for 5th and 6th graders will run from October 5th – November 30th and include swing and ballroom instruction, proper introductions and greetings, table etiquette, and more, this year with a global twist. Click here for more information, and please note that there is a discount for registering by August 21st.
  • Pathfinder (for parents of 7th graders only): If your child is going into 7th grade, you should have received information from Aaron Shepard (Middle School English Teacher and Pathfinder Coordinator) about the Pathfinder trip. This overnight trip is for all 7th grade students and takes place from September 24th – 28th. Students need a current passport or passport card for this trip. If you have any questions, please contact Aaron Shepard at ashepard@allendalecolumbia.org.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Until then, enjoy the warmer weather and summer activities, vacations, and family time!

Thank you!

Tina Duver
Head of Middle School

Posted in: MS Birches

Lower and Middle School Families: Join Us for a Back to School Picnic August 24th!

Posted on August 8th, 2018 by Allendale Columbia School

You're Invited! Family Picnic for Lower & Middle Schools

Friday, August 24th from 5:30-8:00p.m.
North Lodge at King’s Bend Park
170 W. Jefferson Road, Pittsford, NY 14534

RSVP
Confirm your attendance and family members

Parents: want to bring a dish or help?
Sign up online!
(You will be prompted to sign in to MyAC if you are not already signed in)

Questions?
Melissa Clark, LS Division Liaison, at melissa.clarkot@gmail.com
or
Colleen Roof, MS Division Liaison, at ceroof@yahoo.com

Event organized by Parents of Allendale Columbia Kids (PACK)

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Posted in: LS Birches, MS Birches, PACK, The Birches

AC Family Movie Night August 9th

Posted on August 8th, 2018 by Allendale Columbia School

Please join us for AC’s Family Movie Night tomorrow, August 9th at 8:30 p.m.!  If you have any questions, please email admissions@allendalecolumbia.org or call 585.641.5344.

Invitation to AC Family Movie Night

 

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Posted in: LS Birches, MS Birches, The Birches, US Birches

2018 Seventh Grade Pathfinder Trip Information

Posted on June 30th, 2018 by Allendale Columbia School

Dear Parents and Guardians of 7th Graders,

For the past fourteen years, we have taken the seventh grade on a week-long outdoor education experience to Camp Pathfinder, located in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. The seventh grade trip to Camp Pathfinder for the 2018–2019 school year is scheduled from Monday, September 24th, to Friday, September 28th. We will leave Allendale Columbia early on the morning of Monday, September 24th, and return on the evening of Friday, September 28th.

At Camp Pathfinder, the students will participate in outdoor education activities supervised by the camp’s trained staff. I and two other AC Middle School faculty members will chaperone the group. The camp is owned and operated by AC alumnus Mike Sladden ’76. Camp Pathfinder is remote and rustic, and it is located on Pathfinder Island in Algonquin Park’s Source Lake. You can visit Camp Pathfinder’s website at www.camppathfinder.com to learn more about the camp and its facilities.

Monday, September 24th, will be devoted to traveling, settling in at the camp, and participating in group activities. We will leave from the AC gym entrance at approximately 7:30 a.m. Students will need a bag lunch for the bus on Monday. Please respect the school’s nut-free policy and do not include any food with nuts.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the students will be divided into groups and will participate in off-island day trips and the high ropes course on the island. Thursday’s activity is an overnight camping trip. Each group will camp in a different location. On Friday, September 28th, we will leave for home after a final sit-down lunch with the expectation of arriving back at Allendale Columbia sometime between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m., depending on Toronto traffic. We will make phone calls when we cross back into the United States to confirm our exact time of arrival.

Attached with this document is

I will send these documents again, along with a permission form, at the end of August. It is not necessary to purchase special gear for this trip. Having enough clothing to layer, rain gear, and a second pair of footwear is essential, however.

Please note that if your child does not already have a passport, passport card, or Nexus card, a birth certificate will suffice. One of these documents is required to pass back and forth between the United States and Canada.

Sincerely,
Aaron Shepard
Pathfinder Trip Coordinator
ashepard@allendalecolumbia.org
Posted in: MS Birches, Seventh Grade

Blood Drive and Bake Sale Help Red Cross

Posted on April 27th, 2018 by Allendale Columbia School

A Red Cross blood drive hosted by Allendale Columbia’s Community Service Club helped save lives on April 25th, surpassing the goal of 21 units of blood with 28 donors and 24 units collected. Several students became blood donors for the first time.

Students in Middle School were too young to give blood, so their Student Council held a bake sale that morning for the Greater Rochester Red Cross, raising $177.75. The money is designated for Comfort Kits provided to victims requiring shelter following disasters that displace them from their homes.

Many thanks to all who participated, including Allendale alumnus Leal Smith ’63, who was assisting on the Red Cross team. Also of note, AC alumna Diana Clarkson ’99 serves as the Chair of the Greater Rochester Chapter’s Board of Directors.

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Posted in: Centers for Impact, Eighth Grade, Eleventh Grade, Highlights, Middle School, MS Birches, Ninth Grade, Partnerships, Seventh Grade, Sixth Grade, Tenth Grade, The Birches, Twelfth Grade, Upper School, US Birches

Fifth Graders Win Sportsmanship at VEX-IQ World Championships

Posted on April 27th, 2018 by Allendale Columbia School

Updated May 4th, 2018

On Saturday, April 28th, Allendale Columbia School fifth graders Eric Roof and Carter Previte left to go to the VEX IQ Robotic World Championship Competition, Elementary School Division, in Louisville, Kentucky. They came back on May 2nd having won one of four coveted divisional Sportsmanship Awards out of 400 teams participating! (more…)

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Posted in: Fifth Grade, Highlights, Lower School, LS Birches, MS Birches, The Birches, US Birches