Welcome 2022!! January Newsletter Notes by Nagel
As we welcome the new calendar year here at Innovate, we also welcome you to some exciting news!
Innovate Academy & Preparatory School is delighted to announce our High School Headmaster, Kevan Grant. Kevan will be joining the crew starting Jan. 3rd, 2022. We are elated to have him be a member of our Innovate Academy family! Mr. Grant will also be serving as Co-Headmaster of Innovate Academy Middle School alongside Headmaster Nagel.
We know the parents will have lots of questions regarding the High School, after Mr. Grant has a little time to get his bearings in his new position, a parent meeting will be held to go over the vision and the goals of Innovate Academy High School the first of February.
Get to know Mr. Grant!!!!
Kevan Grant- High School Headmaster
Kevan grew up in Idaho, where he attended Bishop Kelly High School before enrolling at the University of Idaho. He met his lovely wife, Melissa, while in college and this led them back to Boise. A true go-getter, he finished his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Accountancy at Boise State University all while working for KeyBank National Association. He worked as a Vice President for KeyBank in Boise, Idaho and Cleveland, Ohio from 1994-2007.
Mr. Grant and his family missed Boise too much and decided to return. After much reflection, he decided to return to school once more and become an educator. He was able to leverage his Accounting degree to earn his certification in Secondary Education for Economics and Social Studies. He has been teaching middle school Social Studies at St. Joseph’s in Boise for the past twelve years. While teaching is extremely fulfilling, Mr. Grant was being called to moire and chose to pursue a career in school administration. In 2020 he completed his Master of Education, Educational Leadership program from the University of Idaho, Go Vandals…talk about a house divided with that University line up, huh?
Kevan and his wife are the proud parents of three adult daughters. They try to make the most of their empty nest by picking up some hobbies such as camping and traveling.
It has been motivating, inspiring and exciting to visit about education with Kevan. We are sure y’all are going to enjoy his presence in and out of the classroom!! Welcome, Kevan Grant!
Communication~Let’s chat conversations and information flow. Our goal is always to involve parents, students and teachers, so that we can be a community that builds and grows together. Our school is your school! So, we want to hear from you!! Please share your thoughts and ideas with us here at Innovate:
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What is something Innovate Academy has done well for your kiddo/s and family?
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What is something Innovate Academy can improve on?
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What questions do you have for us?
Innovate Academy & Preparatory School Board would like to hold a State of the Union Address where we can visit about your thoughts and ideas, feedback, considerations and questions. This open conversation will help us be the best version of ourselves for our students, teachers and families. If you are able, please send an email with your notes by Monday, January 10 to: innovateacademyprepschool@gmail.com. We look forward to sharing our video address with you by Monday, January 17th.
Students will be bringing their classroom folder home each Monday, please look through these packets of awesomeness with your kiddos! They are excited to share and maybe even teach you a few new tidbits of knowledge from their week. Folders also include notes from teachers, QR codes that direct you to your Gradelink page and Innovate Academy’s website allowing communication open to you all on what is coming up and how your student is doing each week. Gradelink is updated each week (Monday) and can be used in many ways;
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check notes from a teacher
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look through student’s grades and visit our School News tab with the most updated information
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updated calendar for what’s going on inside and outside of Innovate.
Re-enrollment for current students starts January 10 through January 31, 2022. Make sure you hop onto Gradelink and enroll for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. We will continue to keep our 15 students per classroom, so make sure you don’t miss your spot on the roster. February 1, we will open enrollment to the wait list and public. A link will be sent next Monday, January 10 with prices and dates.
Our next Field trip is tentatively planned for February. If there are any parents out there that would like to help organize and put together plans for field trips and Friday-Family-Fun Days, please let me know!
Snow Day: Could it really happen? Stay tuned to local weather updates and WEST ADA SCHOOL DISTRICT as Innovate Academy follows their policy. Their policy reads:
- With the start of winter storms, West Ada is planning and ready for the possibility of school closure. The decision to close school is a process which is not taken lightly by the district. As storms approach, district staff monitor weather forecasts in preparation to check road conditions during the night and into the early morning before the start of school. If school is canceled because of poor road conditions, information about the closure will be posted on the district website and local media will also be notified.
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The decision to close school needs to be made between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m. on the morning school will be closed in order to have adequate time to alert parents, students, staff and the community of the school closure.
Thank you for sharing your incredible child/children with us. I think I speak for all the Innovate Academy teachers and staff…we have MISSED our kiddos and can’t wait to get back into the swing of things!
Looking forward to fun,
Gloria Nagel, Innovate Academy and Preparatory School Headmaster
Upcoming Dates in January for PRESCHOOL-8TH:
10th Monday~Re-enrollment begins! A link will be sent out with prices and dates, via text message.
10th Monday~Questions, comments and feedback due to Innovate Academy School Board
17th Monday~NO SCHOOL-MLK Jr Day. State of the Union Address by the School Board sent out.
26th Wednesday~In class Scripps National Spelling Bee (K-8th)
27th Thursday~Scripps National Spelling Bee, Spell Off (K-8th). You will be contacted Wednesday (January 26th) after school, if your student has made it to the final round of the competition.
Kindergarten 12:00-1:00 Mission Drive Break Out Room
Grades 1-2 1:00-2:00 Mission Drive Break Out Room
Grades 3-5 2:00-3:00 Mission Drive Break Out Room
Grades 6-8 3:00-4:00 Mission Drive Break Out Room
27th Thursday~SPIRIT DAY-DECADE DAY(20’s,50’s, 80’s, you name it!) Preschool-8th Grade.
31st Monday~Re-enrollment ends for current students.
Upcoming Dates in January for MIDDLE SCHOOL:
19th Wednesday~Academic Decathlon (Middle School students only). Closed campus event.
26th Wednesday~In class Scripps National Spelling Bee (K-8th)
27th Thursday~Scripps National Spelling Bee, Spell Off (K-8th). You will be contacted Wednesday (January 26th) after school, if your student has made it to the final round of the competition.
Grades 6-8 3:00-4:00 Mission Drive Break Out Room
27th Thursday~Middle School Winter Formal 7:00-8:30 pm. Visual Display Artist and Student Council meet at 6:00 to decorate.
Dates to Remember
Yearbook Sales start now!
If you order from now- Jan. 31st= $22/yearbook
Feb.1- March 30th= $25/yearbook
After March 31st= $30/yearbook
Follow this link to order Yearbooksforever.com
School Lunches Close:
January 26th for February lunches
NO SCHOOL:
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 17th)
December Notes by Nagel
Dashing through this year, in a fast and fun filled way. Over the pages we go, learning all the way…HEY! Books in students’ hands, love in lesson plans! What fun it is to teach and know, while we watch the falling snow! (Insert my amazing, non-existent, musical skills here).
Snow Day: Could it really happen? Stay tuned to local weather updates and WEST ADA SCHOOL DISTRICT as Innovate Academy follows their policy. Their policy reads:
- With the start of winter storms, West Ada is planning and ready for the possibility of school closure. The decision to close school is a process which is not taken lightly by the district. As storms approach, district staff monitor weather forecasts in preparation to check road conditions during the night and into the early morning before the start of school. If school is canceled because of poor road conditions, information about the closure will be posted on the district website and local media will also be notified.
The decision to close school needs to be made between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m. on the morning school will be closed in order to have adequate time to alert parents, students, staff and the community of the school closure.
Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year Innovate families,
We have a wonderful line up for you all this month. I had so much fun hearing all about An Attitude of Gratitude in November for Mindfulness and thought, why not keep that going. If not for all the sweet students or the incredible educators, why not for me. Mindfulness is a practice and I have been intentionally seeking time each day to soak in this habit.
I will copy down this December concept to share and encourage you to play along with your kiddos this month:
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Mindful Monday: Quiet meditation and journaling. There is something peaceful about grabbing a moment of silence. Mr. Eidson challenged his class to complete silence for 5 minutes last year. It was a fun challenge!! It’s crazy to think just 5 minutes can seem like forever or truly not be something that their sweet little minds find obtainable.
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Tell Me About it Tuesday: Have the kiddos share a clue to what they want for Christmas. Maybe what they are asking Santa for, or what they really hope to open on Christmas Day! Each kiddo can give two clues (really tricky clues) and the rest of the class can guess!
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Why? Wednesday: One of my favorite questions a kiddo asks is; why?
Play it back. Do reindeer live in Alaska? Why? Are presents wrapped in paper? Why? Is snow white? Why? Get the kiddos thinking and sharing thoughts around the room! Bring it back to being mindful of others taking a turn and thinking differently.
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Think About it Thursday: Think about a gift you can give that doesn’t cost money. Think about a way to show you care, without purchasing anything at all. Think about your favorite Holiday tradition. Draw it. Explain it with hand gestures.
Many classes are wrapping up their Passion Projects, class debates, presentations and book reports, all while preparing for the Christmas program mid December. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of school work but what excites and delights Innovate students the most is experiencing education! Demonstrating and platforming your take on a classroom discussion, research or socratic conversations from teachers are empowering opportunities for students of any age. I’m so proud of these students. I love the sounds and sights of students living their learning each day. You can’t beat the smiles, giggles and critical
thinking when peering through the door of a classroom here at Innovate. This is the best gift of all.
Bells on school buildings ring, making spirits bright. What fun it is to learn, laugh and play at Innovate Academy each day!
Looking forward to celebrating with you all,
Gloria Nagel, Innovate Academy and Preparatory School Headmaster
-Gloria Nagel
DECEMBER
Picture Retakes
Wednesday Dec. 1st
For all students that would like to retake their photos or missed the day of school pictures. Proofs were sent home Nov.18th.
Sales for Innovate Academy’s Winter Field Trip to the Idaho Botanical Garden, Winter Garden a Glow are on sale now.
- Date: Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 7:30 pm only
- $12 per ticket for both adult and children – this is a $3.00 savings on the adult ticket price
- Physical tickets can be paid for and picked up from Miss Deidre at the Mission Street Campus
- Check or cash is accepted
Call 208.954.7671 to reserve tickets for your whole family now: This is our “Winter Field Trip” for the whole school. Invite Grandma & Grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins & friends!
Art Fair Entries Due
December 8th & 9th
Art Fair entries due! Please bring in your entries on Wednesday and Thursday. The entries will be displayed and winners announced at the Christmas Programs (Dec. 14th & 15th).
Spirit Day
December 13th, Monday
Crazy Christmas Socks
Spirit Day & Holiday Programs
December 14th, Tuesday
Spirit day- “Festive Hat”. Christmas Program for 1st and 5th
Who: 1st Grade — When: 5pm — Where: United Methodist Church (651 N Eagle Rd, Eagle, ID 83616)
Who: 5th Grade — When: 6pm — Where: United Methodist Church (651 N Eagle Rd, Eagle, ID 83616)
– with Art displayed from the Art Fair
Spirit Day & Holiday Programs
December 15th, Wednesday
Spirit day- “Jammies”. Christmas Program for PreK, 2nd, 3rd and 4th
Who: Pre-k/Kinder — When: 5pm — Where: United Methodist Church (651 N Eagle Rd, Eagle, ID 83616)
Who: 2nd Grade — When: 6pm — Where: United Methodist Church (651 N Eagle Rd, Eagle, ID 83616)
Who: 3rd/4th Grade — When: 7pm — Where: United Methodist Church (651 N Eagle Rd, Eagle, ID 83616)
-with Art displayed from the Art Fair.
Spirit Day
December 16th, Thursday
“Festive Sweater”
Christmas Parties with early release @ 2:00pm
Winter Break
Dec 16th (Early Release Day)- Dec 30th
Winter break runs from the early release at 2:00pm on Dec. 16th through Dec. 30th.
School Resumes- January 3rd, 2022
NOVEMBER
Three weeks until Thanksgiving break…Can you believe it? Here is a look at what’s ahead for the month of November:
OUR INNOVATE SPIRIT WEAR IS FINALLY HERE!!!
Place your order now until November 19th!
You can order NOW for Innovate t-shirts, sweatshirts & polos! To get our first order underway, we will close ordering at 5:00 PM on November 19th and they will be delivered to the school on Tuesday, December 14th. We are SO excited about our new Innovate Gear! Click the link below and create your account. All orders will be bagged and tagged by the family’s last name and delivered to Miss Deidre at the Mission campus. We will hand them out to families at pick up.
Follow this link: tinyurl.com/innovateacademy
Sales for Innovate Academy’s Winter Field Trip to the Idaho Botanical Garden, Winter Garden a Glow are on sale now.
- Date: Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 7:30 pm only
- $12 per ticket for both adult and children – this is a $3.00 savings on the adult ticket price
- Physical tickets can be paid for and picked up from Miss Deidre at the Mission Street Campus
- Check or cash is accepted
- Call 208.954.7671 to reserve tickets for your whole family now
Veterans Day Assembly
Thursday, November 11
Veterans Day Assembly for students will be at Mission Drive at 3:00 PM. Students will gather on the field. Gigi will bring Idaho Street students over on the bus at 2:45. This week in Art class students will work on some cards and thank you notes for our local veterans.
End Of Term & Parent Teacher Conferences
Thursday, November 11
Final grades will be submitted on Friday, November 12th. Parent teacher conferences will be scheduled for after school, Monday-Wednesday, November 15-17. Teachers will be reaching out to parents via email by November 4th to set up a conference date and time. Students with a 79% or below in any class MUST meet with teachers. Any parents that would like to meet and discuss their kiddos have the option to schedule a conference as well. Below are the available times to meet:
Monday: 4:30-4:45, 4:50-5:05, 5:10-5:25, 5:30-5:45, 5:50-6:05
Tuesday: 4:30-4:45, 4:50-5:05, 5:10-5:25, 5:30-5:45, 5:50-6:05
Wednesday: 4:30-4:45, 4:50-5:05, 5:10-5:25, 5:30-5:45, 5:50-6:05
Thanksgiving Feast
Thursday, November 18
Feasts will be in class only- run by the teacher and students. You will receive an email letting you know what your students can bring and contribute to the class feast; rolls, carrot sticks, etc. Innovate will provide pumpkin pie for each class. We will have students practice setting the table and enjoying a little feast together.
Last Day of Krav Maga for the Season
Thursday, November 18th
Innovate Academy’s Season for Krav Maga will end on the 18th of November and we will resume in the spring.
Innovate Academy Middle School Theater Class Production
Friday, November 19th
The student’s fun and spunky spoof of “And Then There Was One” will be a hilarious thriller! You won’t want to miss this one! Admission is donation only to help cover the cost of the venue.
Location: Parkview Christian Church 201 W. Ustick Meridian, Idaho 83646
Time: 7:00 PM
Spirit Day
Thursday, November 18th
History Day! Dress up like a historical innovator; Amelia Earhart, Henry Ford, Billy the Kid, Albert Einstein, etc.
Lunches Close for December @ Midnight
Wednesday Nov. 24th
Get your December order in before midnight on the 24th! The 25th then opens up for January orders.
Let’s talk Mindfulness
I always associate thankfulness with November, but as I grow older and hopefully wiser, an attitude of gratitude intertwines with being thankful.
Research shows that gratitude can:
- Help you make friends. One study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek a more lasting relationship with you.
- Improve your physical health. People who exhibit gratitude report fewer aches and pains, a general feeling of health, more regular exercise and more frequent checkups with their doctor than those who don’t.
- Improve your psychological health. Grateful people enjoy higher well-being and happiness and suffer from reduced symptoms of depression.
- Enhance empathy and reduces aggression. Those who show their gratitude are less likely to seek revenge against others and more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, with sensitivity and empathy.
- Improve your sleep. Practicing gratitude regularly can help you sleep longer and better.
- Enhance your self-esteem. People who are grateful have increased self-esteem, partly due to their ability to appreciate other peoples’ accomplishments.
- Increase in mental strength. Grateful people have an advantage in overcoming trauma and enhanced resilience, helping them to bounce back from highly stressful situations.
What if we offered up 12 days of An Attitude of Gratitude to our kiddos?!
- Mindful Monday – Journal about what you are grateful for.
- Tell Me About it Tuesday – Give clues to others about who or what your gratitude is for.
- Would You Rather Wednesday – Class discussions on questions like: Would you rather have a million dollars or give a million dollars away? Would you rather make Thanksgiving dinner or clean up Thanksgiving dinner?
- Think it Through Thursday – Thank you cards each Thursday this month. Thank you to those who serve our country, thank you to parents, family members, teachers, friends etc..
