Greetings, Upper School families: I hope this finds all of you rested and ready for a wonderful 2019-20 school year. This is the time of summer when we’ve had enough of the quiet, empty halls and are ready for the students’ and faculty’s return. 

We have continued our professional development, recharged, dreamed, planned, prepared, and are ready to continue to teach, learn, and grow alongside our students.

You may recall from the last email from me that we will be retreating as a whole upper school (grades 9-12) to Camp Canadensis on August 27th and 28th. Please attend to the online forms that are required for students to participate in the retreat. Please find directions below to access these forms.

I hope you share in our excitement for the 2019-20 school year. New, revamped, and time-tested programs await our eager and earnest young people. Some of these are outlined below and in next week’s newsletter. We can’t wait to get started on what will surely be a formative, productive school year!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the main office - 610-691-1600.

Be well,

Dylan Deal
Upper School Director

Retreat and School Forms

It has been a tradition at Moravian Academy for the ninth grade to go on an overnight trip to get to know each other and some of their teachers in an informal setting away from school. Students have enjoyed their experiences on past trips and have found the opportunity to be a very good transition into the Upper School. This year, the trip will bring our entire Upper School to Camp Canadensis of Canadensis, PA. We will spend a day and a half getting to know each other through grade-based team building activities and shared experiences that are intended to unify each class and the entire Upper School student body. We are counting on full participation by all students. Listed below are details of the trip.

Dates: Tuesday and Wednesday, August 27 and 28, 2019

Location: Camp Canadensis

199 Camp Canadensis Road

Canadensis, PA 18325

570-595-7761

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

7:30-8:00 am All Upper School Students report to the pickup/drop off lane outside Walter Hall Auditorium to load gear into MA vans.

We will leave for Camp Canadensis from Central Moravian Church after all-school chapel. Students will have time to settle in and change clothes before beginning activities.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

3:00 pm Students return to the Moravian Academy Merle-Smith Campus.

Cost: $90.00 will be charged to each student’s account. Cost includes transportation, camp facilities, meals, and activities. There is no need for students to bring any additional spending money.

At this time, we are asking all parents to log into the myMA portal to complete your child(ren)’s forms. There are a variety of forms to complete, including student health forms, permission slips and other forms that we need to have completed annually.

Getting Started:

To log in, click on the red myMA button located in the top right corner of the homepage (www.moravianacademy.org).

Enter your username and password. If you have already logged in, your username and password have not changed. If this is your first time logging in, click on the link “Forgot Login or First Time Logging In” to create your username and password.

Once you are logged in, you will see a bar across the top with personalized links that alert you to the forms you will need to complete. Simply click on the link to start completing the forms. Some of the data fields may pre-populate with the personal information that we have on file based on the forms you submitted for the previous school year.

Click on Directories to view and edit your family’s contact information. To do this, search for your name in the Parent Directory and under “Options” select “Contact Card” (to edit, click on the pencil icon located in the top right corner). Please note: the email address listed on your Contact Card is the address used for school-wide email messages, as well as sending progress reports and report cards. It is important to keep these up to date.

Student Class Schedules

All student schedules will be finalized shortly and a link to view a student’s schedule will be communicated on August 15. Students will be able to see their schedules online using myMA. Specific instructions will be provided for students and families in order to access this information. Should schedule questions arise, please contact the Upper School Main Office at 610-691-1600.

Hiring Updates

Mr. Ian Gutgold '10, a Moravian Academy graduate, joins the history department as Mrs. Burd’s one-year replacement. Mrs. Burd will return after spending a year on a much-deserved sabbatical. Mr. Gutgold returns to MA with his masters in curriculum and instruction and a masters in history from UNC-Chapel Hill. He has taught economics, government, sociology, psychology, and world history at the high school level. Mr. Gutgold brings with him a love for MA, a passion for history, and a student-centered approach to teaching and learning.

Dr. Rachel Engl joins the history department full-time with a doctorate and masters in history from Lehigh University. Dr. Engl’s broad expertise includes European history, American history, and globalization. Dr. Engl first joined Moravian Academy as a long-term substitute. Her commitment to her students and expertise in history were immediately apparent and we are excited to have them back.

Mrs. Elissa Manlove joins the math department having spent the last 10 years teaching Algebra 2, Geometry, AP Calculus, and Probability and Statistics. She has her bachelors in mathematics and economics from State University of New York and certificate in teaching secondary mathematics through Muhlenberg College. Mrs. Manlove is committed to making math accessible and helping her students feel comfortable and confident with difficult material.

Dr. Jeff Lawlis has been a physics teacher, department chair, and robotics coach over the last 17 years. He earned his bachelor's in materials science engineering from Cornell University and his PhD from The Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Lawlis brings a passion for hands-on learning and inquiry to the science department. He is a team-builder whose adeptness at design will help lead the robotics team.

Mr. Cole Wisdo’s enthusiasm for science and student achievement is contagious. Having earned a bachelors in chemistry from Franklin and Marshall College, Mr. Wisdo taught at Brooke Charter School in Boston for three years. Student-centered in his approach to teaching chemistry, Mr. Wisdo makes science exciting with his experiential, hands-on approach.

Important Upcoming Dates

• Monday, August 12: First Day of US Fall Sports
• Monday, August 26: Opening Day of School
• Tuesday, August 27: All-School Chapel *Formal Dress Required; US Retreat
• Wednesday, August 28: US Retreat, Return by 3:00 pm
• Friday, August 30: Labor Day Weekend, School Closed
• Monday, September 2: Labor Day Weekend, School Closed 
• Tuesday, September 3: Grade 12 Parents' Night, 7:00 pm
• September 10: US Picture Day *Formal Dress Required; US Back-To-School Night, Dinner 5:30 pm, Program 6:30 pm
• Friday, September 13: Red & Gold Games
• Tuesday, September 17: Grade 9 Parents' Night, 7:00 pm
• Tuesday, September 24: Grade 10 Parents' Night, 7:00 pm

Information from the Office of Institutional Advancement

At Moravian Academy, there are many opportunities for parents and friends to get involved in activities that enhance the community and the student experience. Today, we ask that you go to the following links and get involved by updating your contact information, adding the names of grandparents for Grandparents events in November, and signing up for many of our volunteer opportunities and activities.

• Sign up to volunteer, CLICK HERE
• Sign up for the 5K Fun Run/Walk on October 5, CLICK HERE
• To participate in the Golf Outing or to sponsor the event, CLICK HERE
• Submit grandparent information, CLICK HERE
• For more information on the opening Back-to-School Picnic on August 25 and to RSVP, CLICK HERE
• Moravian Connect is a way to interact with alumni, parents, and others in our community, to sign up, CLICK HERE
• Purchase your Moravian Academy gear, CLICK HERE

STAY TUNED NEXT WEEK FOR UPDATES ON THE NEW myMA POSTING POLICY, OUR NEW ADVISORY PROGRAM, COMENIUS FOR SOPHOMORES, DROP/ADD DATES, THE HANDBOOK, AND THE DRESS CODE!