
Mustang Messenger
January 2024

Disruptions and difficulties are part of life's journey, and it's often in those moments of unplanned interruption that greater character shines the brightest. It's not the title that makes us so influential—it's standing strong while facing stress and uncertainty with a resolute commitment to deliver on our mission and values. How we respond to such moments matters, and how we prepare matters even more. Our spiritual, physical, mental, and relational habits will either enable or inhibit us, so we make deliberate choices to be ready to help when others are facing dark times.
❤️ Always Caring,
Ray Polk
Director
🐮 AG Corner 🐷
What’s New in the FFA?
Hi Academy At the Farm! I have some upcoming events and the latest news about what's been going on in our FFA chapter. On January 27th, NJHS held a Loads of Love event at one of our local laundromats. FFA helped out by providing hot dogs, chips, and drinks. The event was a success! The FFA served over 60 hotdog lunches. On Friday, February 2nd FFA will host its FFA pep rally. So don't miss out! It's an awesome end-of-day celebration to hype up everyone who is going to be showing at the fair! Additionally, the FFA Alumni and Supporters group has introduced a new entrepreneurship opportunity for FFA members called “Growing the Future”. Growing the Future is where you can purchase seedlings for .25 cents each, and earn money as well! There will be a day at school where you can purchase and grow plants. After they are grown you sell them back to the alumni to use in a school plant sale. You can get up to $1 on each plant. Currently, there are a couple plants sold out but there are still some left. This is an amazing opportunity. The first “Growing the Future” plant sale is only open to select students, but all plants will be able to be purchased at the school Farmer’s Market in the Spring! Also on January 30th, the FFA officer team competed in the district FFA competition. We were 1st place in Opening and Closing Ceremonies and will be heading to the State contest this summer. We also placed 2nd in Prepared Public Speaking. Overall, our Academy at the Farm FFA chapter has been going great! Stay tuned for next month’s FFA update!
By: Soha Bajaj, FFA Reporter
Mrs. Cantwell‘s home room got to spend some time at the barn! The kids discussed animal rights vs. animal welfare with Mrs. Carter, and then given an opportunity to feed the pigs.
Academy at the Farm Farmer’s Market🍊
Grand Opening on Tuesday, February 6th!
The market will be open from 8:30 - 4:30 for you to shop for farm fresh produce for you and your family. Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck will be at the market from 7:00 - 11:00 a.m. brewing a variety of special drinks for you to enjoy. The Kona Ice truck will offer sweet treats from 1:30 - 4:00 p.m. for the after school crowd. From 1:30-3:30, John, from Gem Apiaries, will be at the market with a live beehive and some of his sweet honey for sale. The Farmer’s Market will carry Gem Apiaries honey on our shelves. Gem Apiaries is a local company that promises high quality, small-batch honey products and education to all communities about the necessity of honey bees to our planet’s sustainability.
The Academy at the Farm Farmer’s Market will give our middle school students the unique opportunity to learn how to build and maintain a business in a real world situation. Students will be providing customer service and learning skills in marketing, research, inventory control, creative merchandising, multimedia, human resources and more! We are excited to offer our products and services to Academy families and the public. Be sure to tell your friends, neighbors, and families that we are here and open for business!
Our goal is to promote good nutrition and the value of local foods. Every dollar spent at the market will go towards educating students! We appreciate your support! We hope to become your one stop shop for all of your fresh produce needs.
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
Carter found and item and returned it to its owner.
Caring, citizenship
Carlos was very nice by helping another student to find his planner.
Honesty, Responsibility
Middle schoolers were spending their LiveSchool points at our Mustang Market. When the store had to unexpectedly close Angelina and the rest of class were walked back to class. Angelina realized she still had the items she made sure to go back and pay. Thank you, Angelina, for showing great character!!
Responsibility, Caring
Madison stayed in the classroom and made sure all the chairs were cleaned up.
Responsibility, Caring, Citizenship
Micah was caught doing good for holding the door for multiple students.
Caring, Citizenship
Amarri noticed another table's supplies were on the floor and needed to be picked up. Amarri was caring and showed citizenship by picking them up without being asked.
Responsibility
Jordan was recognized by his teacher Ms. Harris for being a hardworking student.
Preschool 🏫
It is important to remember that kids also have worries and concerns. As your preschooler continues to learn good and sad choices in the world around them, identifying and naming their emotions is very helpful. One way to help your child is to let them know that everyone makes mistakes, even you. Share a story with your child about a time when you made a sad choice when you were young. Relate the childhood experience to what is happening in their life during a walk, eating a meal, or spending time in the car. This will show your child that we don’t always make a good choice, but we will try next time.
🍎 Primary
As we enter the month of February, we are reminded of the love, kindness, and caring that surrounds us. This is the perfect time to show appreciation for the people in our lives, whether it be through small gestures or grand gestures of caring and kindness.
Valentine's Day, which falls on the 14th of February, is a day when we express our love and caring, but it is also a day when we can show love and kindness to our friends, family, and teachers. Let's spread positivity and compassion throughout the month by performing random acts of kindness, volunteering, or showing acts of caring.
This month, in Primary we will be focused on spreading love and positivity in Primary. We will be sharing heartwarming stories, tips on how to show kindness, and ideas for spreading caring in Primary. We hope that this newsletter will inspire you to spread caring and kindness throughout the month and beyond.
Thank you for being a part of our Primary community and we wish you a month filled with love, kindness, and caring.
🏆 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 🎒
Citizen of the Month
The intermediate team is delighted to introduce you to our AATF Citizen of the Month - Hadley !
Hadley exemplifies our six character traits in all of her actions. She is a dedicated student, a cheerful person, and a compassionate friend.
We are proud to recognize her as our Citizen of the Month!
Cultivating Kindness at Home: Celebrating Valentine's Day with Love and Compassion
As we enter into the month of February, love is in the air, and Valentine's Day is just around the corner. It is the perfect time to reflect on the values we hold dear and to emphasize the importance of kindness, both within our school community and in our homes. In this article, I would like to encourage you to embrace the spirit of Valentine's Day by fostering kindness within your families.
Kindness, often described as the language of the heart, has the power to create a positive ripple effect in our lives and those around us. By modeling and promoting kindness at home, we can nurture a sense of empathy, compassion, and understanding in our children. Here are a few suggestions on how you can incorporate kindness into your family's Valentine's Day celebrations:
1. Acts of Love: Encourage your children to perform small acts of love and kindness for family members. This could be as simple as helping with household chores, writing heartfelt notes, or preparing a special meal together. These acts of love not only strengthen family bonds but also teach children the value of giving and caring for others.
2. Thoughtful Expressions: Encourage your children to express their love and appreciation for family members through thoughtful gestures. Encourage them to create homemade Valentine's Day cards or crafts to show their love and gratitude. These expressions of love not only foster creativity but also reinforce the importance of acknowledging and appreciating the people we care about.
3. Random Acts of Kindness: Valentine's Day presents a wonderful opportunity to extend kindness beyond our immediate family. Encourage your children to perform random acts of kindness for others, such as assisting a neighbor, writing uplifting notes to classmates, or donating to a local charity. These acts teach children the joy of giving and the impact of their actions on others.
4. Open Dialogue: Use this time to have open and honest conversations with your children about the power of kindness. Discuss the importance of being inclusive, accepting differences, and standing up against bullying. Encourage them to be kind to themselves as well, emphasizing the significance of self-care and self-compassion.
By incorporating these simple yet impactful practices into our Valentine's Day celebrations, we can create a culture of kindness, empathy, and love within our homes and extend it to our larger school community. Together, let us strive to foster a nurturing environment where our children feel safe, supported, and inspired to make a positive difference in the world.
Wishing you and your family a Valentine's Day filled with love, kindness, and heartfelt connections.
April Dodd
School Counselor
Middle School 🎓
Citizen of the Month
The Middle School Citizen of the Month is sponsored by the Dade City Chamber of Commerce. Students selected from the Academy are known for their outstanding representation of Academics, Character Traits, and Peer Leadership.
National Junior Honor Society
Citizenship is one of the National Junior Honor Society pillars as well as a character trait that the Academy at the Farm focuses on. When the school's American flag was damaged, NJHS volunteered to buy a new one as an act of citizenship and the NJHS officers presented the new flag to Mr. Polk.
This is Norma who comes to the Laundromat every week with her friend Larry to do laundry. Norma is 94 years old and is always one of the bright spots during our Loads of Laundry outreach.
Extended Day 😃
Extended Day had a delightful time creating an absolutely adorable bulletin board to showcase their BEE-utiful crafts, adding a touch of creativity and charm to their space.
Clubs and Programs 🚨
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.