
Mustang Messenger
January 2024

Mustang Messenger
💥2024! 💥
Hello and welcome back to Academy at the Farm! Hope you had a great holiday break and are ready for the rest of the school year. With the beginning of the new year, it's a great time to reflect on our character traits: RESPONSIBILITY, RESPECT, CITIZENSHIP, FAIRNESS, HONESTY, and CARING. These are the pillars that make our school stand tall.
🐮 AG Corner 🐷
Agriculture: It’s hard work!
At this time of year, students who participate in our agriculture program have had many months to work on their projects, learn the ins and outs of their animals or plants, and realize that they either love the time, work, and commitment it takes to do a good job or that it isn’t the right choice for them. Either way, the students who become more involved in the agriculture program learn essential lessons about the work that farmers, ranchers, and all involved in the agriculture industry do daily.
Academy at the Farm Farmer’s Market🍊
EXCITING NEWS!
We are excited to announce that the Academy at the Farm Farmer’s Market is returning in February! Be on the lookout for an opening date to be announced soon. We will open with farm fresh produce available and plan to expand our merchandise as we grow. The market will be a convenient stop for families to pick up healthy snacks and fresh produce for dinner as they drop off and pick up students on campus.
One exciting aspect of the Farmer’s Market is that we will have AATF middle school students helping with the operation of the business. They will apply for positions, interview, and learn about numerous business concepts including customer service, communication, marketing and multimedia skills. One of their first assignments will be to send out a survey to AATF families to find out what they are interested in. Be on the lookout for that soon and please give us your feedback!
If you have ideas and/or questions about the Farmer’s Market, please email Tami Flournory at farmersmarket@academyatthefarm.com.
Mustang of the Month 🏇
Mustang of the Month highlights outstanding achievements, positive behavior, academic excellence, and contributions to our school community. Each month, we shine a spotlight on a remarkable student, celebrating their efforts and accomplishments.
👍 Caught doing good
Caring, citizenship, honesty, responsibility
Paetyn found a bank card and turned it in. This was very responsible of her.
Responsible, Caring, Respect
Caring
Fallon heard a student say he needed help packing up all his papers at dismissal. She helped him so he could get out to carline.
Caring, Respect
Cason noticed another student having a bad day, so he asked for a sticky note, wrote an encouraging message, and left it on that student's backpack.
Caring, Responsibility
Wade volunteered to coach a classmate who needed help with writing during his free time.
Caring, Citizenship, Responsibility
Makaidah is always willing to help a friend, she is caring and extremely responsible. It is a joy to have her in class.
Caring
Liam was caring towards his teacher.
Preschool 🏫
Early literacy is a crucial component in a child's development. It involves the development of reading, writing and language skills at a young age. Name recognition is one of the first steps in early literacy; children should learn to recognize their own name and the names of family members. Identifying the difference between letters and numbers is also important. Children should be able to differentiate between letters and numbers and understand that they have different functions. Playful activities such as silly rhyming games, finding the letter, and matching capital to lowercase letters can make learning fun and engaging for children. These activities can help children develop a strong foundation for later academic success.
🍎 Primary
The Primary Team is busy working on learning the foundations of academics and social skills. Primary also continues to work on using the Character Traits and being Kind every day. We know our kids must learn these Character Traits from a young age because they will carry these qualities with them throughout their lives. Teaching these traits in Primary provides our kids with a good foundation for building positive relationships with others and succeeding in their future endeavors. Moreover, character education promotes a positive school culture, where students learn to treat each other with respect and kindness. This creates a safe and nurturing environment in Primary where students feel valued and supported. Using the Character Traits is a priority in Primary which makes Mrs. Dwyer so proud when she sees her Primary kids behaving and showing kindness to others daily.
🏆 Mr. Polk Kids
A "Mr. Polk Kid" refers to a kindergartener selected by their teacher for demonstrating the six character traits, excellence in academics, and positive behavior.
Intermediate 🎒
As we return from Winter Break, our students are geared up to tackle their 3rd quarter goals.
Our intermediate students will be engaged in some exciting activities this month! Mrs. Hobby will visit 3rd- 5th-grade classrooms to teach about the Science of Snowflakes. Meanwhile, Mr. Jones' 5th-grade science students are embarking on their 'Make it Move' car projects. Mr. Jones has been leading this project for nearly 20 years, and it continues to be a much-anticipated and enjoyable experience for his students!
These are just a few examples of many activities our teachers have planned for our students. Here's to a month filled with learning, creativity, and achieving new milestones!
🐝 Intermediate’s Kindness committee
Intermediate’s Kindness committee warmed up staff around campus with hot chocolate and croissants! Merry Christmas!
Middle School 🎓
The 3rd Quarter is an exciting time to be in Middle School. The 8th graders have only 86 days left before they move on to high school and all of its adventures. The 7th graders will be crowned “Kings and Queens of the School” and 6th graders will no longer be at the bottom of the totem pole. We have a lot going on before that happens in May and I’ll share just a few...
During the month of January, the Kindness Committee will be collecting paper product donations from January 29th to February 2nd. These items will be delivered to SOLO Moms, an organization that supports single mothers and their children. The Committee will also be hosting another Loads of Love Laundry Day on January 27th in Zephyrhills.
The 4H and FFA students are preparing for the State and County Fairs. To support their efforts, Middle School will host a pep rally on February 2nd.
Our Peer classes have started and Middle School students will soon be buddying up with the Elementary students to work on various academic and social skills. Critical thinking classes are working on STEM projects while Music classes are learning about keyboarding, guitar and band.
Other activities this month include Director’s List Awards, Mustang of the Month Celebration, Character Trait Celebrations, the Squeaky Chicken Challenge and LiveSchool Store Shopping.
Lots more to come in February.
🔬 6th Grade Advanced Science class
6th Grade Advanced Science class spent the last school days of 2023 reviewing the Engineering Process, constructing obstacle course structures for Quadcopter Drones, and learning the basics of aeronautical engineering. Students finished off the week flying drones through their own obstacle course creations.
Extended Day 😃
Clubs and Programs 🚨
Explore our diverse clubs and programs available for sign-ups now! From educational endeavors to recreational activities, there's something for everyone. Don't miss out—join us for enriching experiences and make new connections!
🏅 School Experiences
We have had some awesome moments from our School Experience raffle winners. These lucky students snagged some fantastic experiences generously donated by our teachers and staff. From laid-back educational escapades to chill extracurricular fun, their stories paint a picture of the diverse and enjoyable experiences our school community brings to the table.
Check out these enchanting photos of Mrs. Felts' class, winners of the school experience raffle, enjoying a popsicle party.
The lucky 3rd-grade raffle winners had a blast during a board game afternoon with Mrs. Ward and Mrs. Giuliano. Loads of fun were had by all!
Had an absolute blast at the princess party with our preschool teachers Ms. Lauren and Ms. Morales! These snapshots capture the joy of the raffle winner's day during the Royal Makeover and princess meet and greet. The enchanting moments included meeting Ana and Elsa – pure magic!
Lets cheer for these Middle School superstars who clinched victory in the School experience raffle alongside the one and only Mrs. Deem!
Upcoming events & important information 🗓️
Use the online code: YB27933
The AATF yearbook cost is $45 from now until 3/1/24.
The price will change to $50 on 3/2/24.
The deadline to order is 3/31/24.
Caring, Citizenship, Honesty, Responsibility
Paetyn found a bank card and turned it in. This was a very responsible of her.
Responsible, Caring, Respect
Tanner and Tristan used their recess time to clean up outside the primary building and picnic table. What a great way to show how much you care for the school and environment.